# Accident 20081117850849A: Piper PA38112, Smithfield, RI, November 17, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 17, 2008, 17:02 local time
- Place: Smithfield, RI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.9056° N, 71.4856° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9056&lon=-71.4856&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2316P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2316P-2010-07-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- Reported engine: LYC O235*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 1,347 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081117850849A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON 17 NOVEMBER 2008 AT 2153:30Z THE ACCIDENT DEPARTED T.F. GREEN STATE AIRPORT (PVD) ON A LOCAL FLIGHT TO CONDUCT PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES AT NORTH CENTRAL AIRPORT (SFZ) APPROXIMATLEY 11.7 NM NORTH OF PVD.  AT 2157:10A THE AIRCRAFT WAS ISSUED A CLEARENCE FOR THE PRACTICE GPS-A APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY 3NM FROM UNTER INTERSECTION, THE FINAL APPROACH FIX.  THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES ON THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 200' NORTH OF THE FIRST STRUCK TREE ON A DIRT DRIVE WAY AT 40 CLARK ROAD SMITHFIELD, RHODE ISLAND.

## 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 ERA09FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA060), Nov 17, 2008: Piper PA-38-112 (N2316P), Smithfield, RI, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper descent below the published minimum descent altitude during the approach, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

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.