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20040730026899A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-24 · Rockville, IN · July 30, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
July 30, 2004 · 18:00 local
Place
Rockville, IN
Airport
Butler Fld Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5769P
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI04LA202
Reported as
Piper PA24
Reported engine
Lycoming O360*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,769 total1,070 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days
N5769PRegistration cancelled Jun 27, 2008 · Piper PA-24S/N 24-847 · Built 1959Airframe modelPiper PA-24Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On July 30th, 2004, Piper comanche N5769P took off from Butler field airport (IN46) in Rockville, Indiana. The pilot in command of N5769P was Mr. Robert duane hale. Mr. Hale holds a private pilot certificate with instrument privileges. Mr. Hale stated that shortly after takeoff from Butler field airport, he attempted to contact terre haute approach control to activate a previously filed IFR flight plan. Mr. Hale said he was unable to establish communications with terre haute approach control and subsequently decided to return to Butler field airport for a landing. The closest reported weather (terre haute) at the time of accident was estimated to be from 600 to 1,000 foot ceilings and 1 3/4 and 2 1/2 miles visibility with light rain. Temperature was 21(c) and dewpoint was 21(c), which would have been conducive to engine carburetor icing. Mr. Hale stated that during his approach to land, the engine of his aircraft lost power and he was forced to make an emergency landing close to the airport. Mr. Hale believes the engine lost power due to carburetor icing. At approximately 1800 local, after approximately 45 minutes aloft, the aircraft landed in a heavily wooded area and received substantial damage. Mr. Hale stated that he remained in the aircraft over night and walked out of the woods on Saturday morning. Mr. Hale received serious injuries from the accident. Mr. Hale has been counseled with regards to operating aircraft in potential carburetor icing conditions and also operating techniques for obtaining IFR flight plan clearances. Due to the remoteness of the crash site, the aircraft recovery process is currently ongoing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 30TH, 2004, PIPER COMANCHE N5769P TOOK OFF FROM BUTLER FIELD AIRPORT (IN46) IN ROCKVILLE, INDIANA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF N5769P WAS MR. ROBERT DUANE HALE. MR. HALE HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH INSTRUMENT PRIVILEGES. MR. HALE STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM BUTLER FIELD AIRPORT, HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT TERRE HAUTE APPROACH CONTROL TO ACTIVATE A PREVIOUSLY FILED IFR FLIGHT PLAN. MR. HALE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH TERRE HAUTE APPROACH CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENTLY DECIDED TO RETURN TO BUTLER FIELD AIRPORT FOR A LANDING. THE CLOSEST REPORTED WEATHER (TERRE HAUTE) AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE FROM 600 TO 1,000 FOOT CEILINGS AND 1 3/4 AND 2 1/2 MILES VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT RAIN. TEMPERATURE WAS 21(C) AND DEWPOINT WAS 21(C), WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCIVE TO ENGINE CARBURETOR ICING. MR. HALE STATED THAT DURING HIS APPROACH TO LAND, THE ENGINE OF HIS AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT. MR. HALE BELIEVES THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING. AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 LOCAL, AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES ALOFT, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. MR. HALE STATED THAT HE REMAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT OVER NIGHT AND WALKED OUT OF THE WOODS ON SATURDAY MORNING. MR. HALE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT. MR. HALE HAS BEEN COUNSELED WITH REGARDS TO OPERATING AIRCRAFT IN POTENTIAL CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AND ALSO OPERATING TECHNIQUES FOR OBTAINING IFR FLIGHT PLAN CLEARANCES. DUE TO THE REMOTENESS OF THE CRASH SITE, THE AIRCRAFT RECOVERY PROCESS IS CURRENTLY ONGOING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI04LA202Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRockville, INThe restriction of airflow in the carburetor due to a foreign substance blockage of the venturi. A contributing factor was the trees.Jul 30, 2004 · Substantial damage