20091210053219A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-30 · Port Mansfield, TX · December 10, 2009

Date: December 10, 2009 · 22:21 local
Place: Port Mansfield, TX
Airport: Charles R. Johnson Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7781Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10FA070
Reported as: Piper PA-30
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N7781YRegistration cancelled Nov 13, 2012 · Piper PA-30S/N 30-686 · Built 1965 Airframe modelPiper PA-30 Engine modelLycoming IO-320 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.

Pilot departed VFR from sun ray, TX for Port Mansfield (T05), a four hour flight. An IFR flight plan was air-filed enroute. Pilot requested a desent to minimum vectoring altitude to attempt a visual approach. Aircraft was discovered 1.6 nautical miles east of T05 upside down in 7 to 10 feet of water. The engines and aux fuel tanks seperated from the aircraft. The outer left wing panel was not recovered. The aircraft was configured for landing. Propeller damage indicates engine rotation when water impacted. Both pilot and passenger perished in accident.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED VFR FROM SUN RAY, TX FOR PORT MANSFIELD (T05), A FOUR HOUR FLIGHT.AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS AIR-FILED ENROUTE. PILOT REQUESTED A DESENT TO MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDE TO ATTEMPT A VISUAL APPROACH. AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED 1.6 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF T05 UPSIDE DOWN IN 7 TO 10 FEET OF WATER. THE ENGINES AND AUX FUEL TANKS SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE OUTER LEFT WING PANEL WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR LANDING. PROPELLER DAMAGE INDICATES ENGINE ROTATION WHEN WATER IMPACTED. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER PERISHED IN ACCIDENT.

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 CEN10FA070Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPort Mansfield, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with the water while on approach (VFR) to land.Dec 11, 2009 · Destroyed

Other reports on N7781Y · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19960323004969ILevel Off Touchdown · Springdale, ARNarrative: history of flight: on March 22, 1996 a Piper PA-30, N7781Y, departed cape girardeau, MO. VFR for Springdale, AR with pilot in command Mr. Steve robert smith. At the razorback VOR Mr. Smith was released from flight following and cleared VFR to…Mar 23, 1996 · Substantial damage