20130113001229A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-200 · Dover, DE · January 13, 2013

Date: January 13, 2013 · 19:10 local
Place: Dover, DE
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4975S
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA13LA111
Reported as: Piper PA-28R-200
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 589 total537 in this make and model54 in the last 90 days

N4975SRegistration cancelled May 21, 2014 · Piper PA-28R-200S/N 28R-35693 · Built 1970 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-200 Engine modelLycoming I0360 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 orz en-route to evy but changed destination to sby. Pilot attempted to land at sby but could not due to weather, then changed destination to ged. Pilot then attempted to land at ged but missed. He then diverted to 33N but was not able to continue to 33N due to low fuel. Pilot declared emergency to Dover afb approach control, reporting ?I?m out of fuel?, and crashed while being radar vectored to land at Dover afb, Delaware.

Aircraft wreckage was located approximately 2.8 miles northwest of Dover afb runway 19. Inspection of wreckage indicated there were no post-crash fire and no smell of fuel or fuel leaking from wing fuel tanks. Aircraft wreckage trail compass heading was 193 to 190 degree. Approximately ½ gallon of fuel drained from the damaged left wing when wreckage was moved the next day. No water was present and fuel was clear and blue in color.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED ORZ EN-ROUTE TO EVY BUT CHANGED DESTINATION TO SBY. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT SBY BUT COULD NOT DUE TO WEATHER, THEN CHANGED DESTINATION TO GED. PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT GED BUT MISSED. HE THEN DIVERTED TO 33N BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE TO 33N DUE TO LOW FUEL. PILOT DECLARED EMERGENCY TO DOVER AFB APPROACH CONTROL, REPORTING ?I?M OUT OF FUEL?, AND CRASHED WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED TO LAND AT DOVER AFB, DELAWARE.

AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 2.8 MILES NORTHWEST OF DOVER AFB RUNWAY 19. INSPECTION OF WRECKAGE INDICATED THERE WERE NO POST-CRASH FIRE AND NO SMELL OF FUEL OR FUEL LEAKING FROM WING FUEL TANKS. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE TRAIL COMPASS HEADING WAS 193 TO 190 DEGREE. APPROXIMATELY ½ GALLON OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE DAMAGED LEFT WING WHEN WRECKAGE WAS MOVED THE NEXT DAY. NO WATER WAS PRESENT AND FUEL WAS CLEAR AND BLUE IN COLOR.

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 ERA13LA111Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportDover, DEThe pilot's failure to land the airplane at multiple airports that were equipped with adequate instrument approach procedures while operating in low instrument meteorological conditions and his delay in declaring a fuel-related emergency, which resulted in a…Jan 13, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4975S · 2

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

Incident 19830106002639IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Albuquerque, NMNose gear collapsed on landing. Downlock assembly broke and separated from aircraft. Recent maintenance.Jan 6, 1983 · Minor damage Accident 19801101061599AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Taos Pueblo, NMEngine quit due to internal failure crash landed in pasture.Nov 1, 1980 · Substantial damage