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20080901844189A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Cumberland, RI · September 1, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 1, 2008 · 08:30 local
Place
Cumberland, RI
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5529J
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC08LA299
Reported as
Piper PA32260
Reported engine
Lycoming O540*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
589 total392 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days
N5529JRegistered now · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-990 · Built 1968Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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) On September 01, 2008, at approximately 0830 (EDT), a Piper PA-32-260, N5529J being flown by a private pilot on a personal trip made an off-airport emergency landing. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot of the aircraft stated in a written statement, after departing from providence, RI airport (pvd) in cruise flight at an altitude of 7500 feet the aircraft seemed to loose power. The airacraft nose pitched down and the propeller control would not respond. After cycling propeller control with no results, the pilot stated he declared an emergency with boston center air traffic control (ATC). The pilot also stated that after ATC directed him to north central state airport, rhode island (sfz), it became apparent he was not going to make the airport. The pilot elected to make an off-airport landing on a field in Cumberland, RI. The aircraft traveled approximately 1000 feet after touchdown when the left wing struck a tree. This resulted in damage to the left wing structural supports that included the left wing separating from the fuselage at the root.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 01, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 (EDT), A PIPER PA-32-260, N5529J BEING FLOWN BY A PRIVATE PILOT ON A PERSONAL TRIP MADE AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT STATED IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, AFTER DEPARTING FROM PROVIDENCE, RI AIRPORT (PVD) IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 7500 FEET THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO LOOSE POWER. THE AIRACRAFT NOSE PITCHED DOWN AND THE PROPELLER CONTROL WOULD NOT RESPOND. AFTER CYCLING PROPELLER CONTROL WITH NO RESULTS, THE PILOT STATED HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH BOSTON CENTER AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC). THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT AFTER ATC DIRECTED HIM TO NORTH CENTRAL STATE AIRPORT, RHODE ISLAND (SFZ), IT BECAME APPARENT HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING ON A FIELD IN CUMBERLAND, RI. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AFTER TOUCHDOWN WHEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE. THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS THAT INCLUDED THE LEFT WING SEPARATING FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE ROOT.

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 NYC08LA299Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCumberland, RIThe pilot's improper fuel management practices, which resulted in fuel starvation and a complete power loss. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's misdiagnosis of the situation, and his cessation of trouble-shooting to positively identify and correct…Sep 1, 2008 · Substantial damage