20050726024479A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Georgetown, DE · July 26, 2005

Date: July 26, 2005 · 15:52 local
Place: Georgetown, DE
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N59RK
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD05FA110
Reported as: Piper PA28181
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 251 total16 in the last 90 days

N59RKRegistration cancelled Nov 29, 2005 · Piper PA-28-181S/N 2890196 · Built 1995 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming O-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) At approximately 1552 hours on July 26, 2005, N59RK, owned and operated by the pilot privacy data omitted was attempting to land on runway 33 at josephs airport (DE49) a private airport, when it collided with 1991 gmc jimmy, which was travelling east on governor stockley road (rt. 432). The left wing of the aircraft struck the vehicle below the roof line, rupturing the aircraft's left wing fuel tank, spilling fuel onto the vehicle, which caught fire, killing its two occupants, who were trapped inside. The aircraft came to rest on a 320-degree heading approximately 110 feet from the initial impact point with the vehicle. No post crash fire. The beginning of runway 33 at josephs airport (DE49) is approximately 18 feet from the edge of governor stockley road.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1552 HOURS ON JULY 26, 2005, N59RK, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 33 AT JOSEPHS AIRPORT (DE49) A PRIVATE AIRPORT, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH 1991 GMC JIMMY, WHICH WAS TRAVELLING EAST ON GOVERNOR STOCKLEY ROAD (RT. 432). THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE VEHICLE BELOW THE ROOF LINE, RUPTURING THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING FUEL TANK, SPILLING FUEL ONTO THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUGHT FIRE, KILLING ITS TWO OCCUPANTS, WHO WERE TRAPPED INSIDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A 320-DEGREE HEADING APPROXIMATELY 110 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT WITH THE VEHICLE. NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE BEGINNING OF RUNWAY 33 AT JOSEPHS AIRPORT (DE49) IS APPROXIMATELY 18 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF GOVERNOR STOCKLEY ROAD.

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 IAD05FA110Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportGeorgetown, DEThe pilot's misjudged distance/altitude while on final approach to land, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a vehicle. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's improper use of the flaps, and the state of Delaware's insufficient…Jul 26, 2005 · Substantial damage