# Accident 20040601011219A: Piper PA32300, Leominster, MA, June 1, 2004 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 1, 2004, 21:30 local time - Place: Leominster, MA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Final Approach-IFR - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.5461° N, 71.7217° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5461&lon=-71.7217&mi=10 - Aircraft: N21072, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21072-2004-09-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300 - Reported engine: LYC IO540K1G5 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 409 total, 7 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC04FA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04FA136) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040601011219A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON JUNE 1, 2004, ABOUT 2130 EDT, A PIPER PA-32-300, N21072, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN LEOMINSTER, MA DURING A GPS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 32 AT FITCHBURG AIRPORT (FIT). THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHICH ORIGINATED FROM MANCHESTER AIRPORT (MHT). THE WRECKAGE WAS EXAMINED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ON JUNE 2, 2004, AND ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE SCENE. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF A SMALL HILL ABOUT 100 FEET BELOW THE TOP, APPROXIMATELY 1-3/4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FITCHBURG AIRPORT. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 110 YARDS LONG BY 12 YARDS WIDE ON A 60 DEGREE HEADING, THE MAIN PART OF THE FUSELAGE CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ON A 025 DEGREE HEADING. ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH WERE WING SKIN PIECES FROM THE LEFT WING AND EMPENNAGE. THE LEFT FLAP AND PORTIONS OF THE STABILATOR WERE FOUND APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE DEBRIS PATH. A 3 INCH U-SHAPED DENT WAS OBSERVED ON THE LEADING EDGE OF ONE STABILATOR PIECE. THE COCKPIT, AND A LARGE SECTION OF FUSELAGE WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE RIGHT WING WAS FOLDED OVER NEXT TO THE FUSELAGE WITH THE AILERON, FLAP AND LANDING GEAR STILL ATTACHED. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE LEFT WING AND CAME TO REST AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE ENGINE EXHIBITED IMPACT AND FIRE DAMAGE, AND HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FIREWALL RESTING IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER HEAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE, AND WAS FOUND ABOUT 20 FEET PAST THE MAIN WRECKAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE CYLINDER HEAD REVEALED THAT THE TOP SPARK PLUG COULD BE ROTATED UNDER HAND PRESSURE. EXAMINATION OF THE OTHER CYLINDERS REVEALED THAT THE LOWER PLUGS ON THE NUMBER 3 AND NUMBER 5 CYLINDERS COULD ALSO BE ROTATED UNDER HAND PRESSURE. ALL THREE PROPELLER BLADES EXHIBITED S-BENDING AND LEADING EDGE GOUGING AND SEPARATED FROM THE HUB ASSEMBLY AND WERE LOCATED ABOUT 40 FEET BEYOND THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE NOSE GEAR ATTACH PORTION OF THE LOWER ENGINE MOUNT HAD SEPARATED AND WAS FOUND ABOUT 30 FEET BEYOND THE MAIN WRECKAGE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, WEATHER REPORTED AT FITCHBURG AIRPORT (FIT) WAS 3 MILES VISIBILITY; A TEMPERATURE OF 48 DEGREES F; WINDS WERE 4 KTS. AT 080 DEGREES WITH AN OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER AT 700 FEET AGL. THE OVERCAST CEILING WAS VARIABLE FROM 400 TO 1,100 FEET AGL. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC04FA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04FA136), Jun 2, 2004: Piper PA-32-300 (N21072), Leominster, MA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow instrument flight procedures resulting in a collision with trees. A factor related to the accident was the low cloud ceiling, and dark night. ## Other reports on N21072 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20000708041269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000708041269A), Jul 8, 2000: Piper PA32300 (N21072), Fitchburg, MA, Substantial damage. (.4) Before entering the airport's traffic pattern, the pilot tuned into the airport's ASOS and was informed that the winds were favoring runway 02. The pilot… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.