20050822024879A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-301 · West Chester, PA · August 22, 2005

Date: August 22, 2005 · 10:35 local
Place: West Chester, PA
Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N9285R
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD05FA125
Reported as: Piper PA32R301
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N9285RRegistration cancelled Oct 19, 2007 · Piper PA-32R-301S/N 3246065 · Built 1997 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-301 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 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) The airplane was on final for runway 27. The landing gear was not down. The pilot was informed by radio the gear was still up and he attempted a go-around. The landing flaps contacted the runway and power was applied. The airplane nosed down with the introduction of power and the propeller struck the runway several times. The airplane assumed a climb attitude, crossed over trees at the end of the runway and commenced a left turn. At the approximate crosswind to downwind position the airplane nosed down and came to rest in a wooded area. A fire ensued consuming the cockpit and most of the passenger compartment.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 27. THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT DOWN. THE PILOT WAS INFORMED BY RADIO THE GEAR WAS STILL UP AND HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. THE LANDING FLAPS CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND POWER WAS APPLIED. THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF POWER AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY SEVERAL TIMES. THE AIRPLANE ASSUMED A CLIMB ATTITUDE, CROSSED OVER TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COMMENCED A LEFT TURN. AT THE APPROXIMATE CROSSWIND TO DOWNWIND POSITION THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND CAME TO REST IN A WOODED AREA. A FIRE ENSUED CONSUMING THE COCKPIT AND MOST OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.

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 IAD05FA125Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportWest Chester, PAThe pilot's improper decision to abort the landing after the airplane contacted the runway. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to ensure the landing gear was extended during the landing.Aug 22, 2005 · Destroyed