20140427007769A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Highmore, SD · April 27, 2014

Date: April 27, 2014 · 21:15 local
Place: Highmore, SD
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8700E
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14FA224
Reported as: Piper PA-32R-300
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,431 total

N8700ERegistration cancelled Jan 16, 2015 · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7680159 · Built 1976 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

On April 27, 2014, at 2116 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N8700E, was destroyed when it impacted the blade of a wind turbine 11 miles south of Highmore, south dakota. The commercial pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. The flight originated from hereford municipal airport (khrx), hereford, Texas, approximately 1700.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 27, 2014, AT 2116 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32R-300 AIRPLANE, N8700E, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE BLADE OF A WIND TURBINE 11 MILES SOUTH OF HIGHMORE, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HEREFORD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KHRX), HEREFORD, TEXAS, APPROXIMATELY 1700.

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 CEN14FA224Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportHighmore, SDThe pilot's decision to continue the flight into known deteriorating weather conditions at a low altitude and his subsequent failure to remain clear of an unlit wind turbine. Contributing to the accident was the inoperative obstruction light on the wind…Apr 28, 2014 · Destroyed