20150828021389A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-44-180 · Houlton, ME · August 28, 2015

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: August 28, 2015 · 02:00 local
Place: Houlton, ME
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N553MD
Reported as: Piper PA-44-180
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, private pilot, unknown or foreign certificate

N553MDRegistration cancelled Mar 7, 2016 · Piper PA-44-180S/N 44-8095021 · Built 1980 Airframe modelPiper PA-44-180 Engine modelLycoming O-360-E1A6DReciprocating

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.

During final approach to runway 05 at hul, the pilot initially impacted the tree line approximately 1.3 miles from the approach end of runway 05 continuing through approximately 300 ft. of tree tops.

Aircraft impacted the ground approximately 50 feet after the end of the tree line and came to rest in the pond.

Houlton AWOS was reporting below published minimums at the time of the accident.

As the FAA filed it

DURING FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 05 AT HUL, THE PILOT INITIALLY IMPACTED THE TREE LINE APPROXIMATELY 1.3 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 05 CONTINUING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. OF TREE TOPS.

AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AFTER THE END OF THE TREE LINE AND CAME TO REST IN THE POND.

HOULTON AWOS WAS REPORTING BELOW PUBLISHED MINIMUMS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.