What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 01/20/2022 at approximately 1900 EDT N42VR, an aircraft privacy data omitted by theprivacy data omitted, received substantial damage when it impacted trees during the decent and approach to runway 5 at Tri-State Steuben County Airport (kanq).
The purpose of the flight was for instrument training for a private pilot conducted with a certified flight instructor. The certified flight instructor was acting as pilot in command of the flight. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions. Sunset was approximately 1743 on 01/20/2022 in the local area. During the RNAV approach to runway 5 the crew impacted trees at approximately 70 feet altitude above ground level and 3000 feet southwest of the runway. The instructor pilot took control of the aircraft and landed safely at kanq. There were no injuries to the flight crew.
Damage to the aircraft is as follows: there is a puncture on the lower right belly surface where a tree branch impacted and caused potential internal damage. The right wing composite material at the wing root is damaged. The engine cowl has dents on the upper and lower surfaces and is cracked where the engine cowl and the nose landing gear strut meet. The propeller and propeller spinner have damage including dents, nicks, and bends in the blade.
The certified flight instructor stated that during the approach the PAPI lights on runway 5 were not working and no NOTAMS related to the PAPI lights were active at the time. The instructor stated that they went to a visual approach at 1475 feet and noted it was a ?black hole approach.?
The pilot receiving training stated the glideslope indicated low, however after discussion with the instructor, they determined to not ?chase? The glideslope and continue the visual approach.
As the FAA filed it
ON 01/20/2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 EDT N42VR, AN AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BY THE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TREES DURING THE DECENT AND APPROACH TO RUNWAY 5 AT TRI-STATE STEUBEN COUNTY AIRPORT (KANQ).
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOR INSTRUMENT TRAINING FOR A PRIVATE PILOT CONDUCTED WITH A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. SUNSET WAS APPROXIMATELY 1743 ON 01/20/2022 IN THE LOCAL AREA. DURING THE RNAV APPROACH TO RUNWAY 5 THE CREW IMPACTED TREES AT APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET ALTITUDE ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND 3000 FEET SOUTHWEST OF THE RUNWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED SAFELY AT KANQ. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE FLIGHT CREW.
DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS AS FOLLOWS: THERE IS A PUNCTURE ON THE LOWER RIGHT BELLY SURFACE WHERE A TREE BRANCH IMPACTED AND CAUSED POTENTIAL INTERNAL DAMAGE. THE RIGHT WING COMPOSITE MATERIAL AT THE WING ROOT IS DAMAGED. THE ENGINE COWL HAS DENTS ON THE UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES AND IS CRACKED WHERE THE ENGINE COWL AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT MEET. THE PROPELLER AND PROPELLER SPINNER HAVE DAMAGE INCLUDING DENTS, NICKS, AND BENDS IN THE BLADE.
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT DURING THE APPROACH THE PAPI LIGHTS ON RUNWAY 5 WERE NOT WORKING AND NO NOTAMS RELATED TO THE PAPI LIGHTS WERE ACTIVE AT THE TIME. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THEY WENT TO A VISUAL APPROACH AT 1475 FEET AND NOTED IT WAS A ?BLACK HOLE APPROACH.?
THE PILOT RECEIVING TRAINING STATED THE GLIDESLOPE INDICATED LOW, HOWEVER AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE INSTRUCTOR, THEY DETERMINED TO NOT ?CHASE? THE GLIDESLOPE AND CONTINUE THE VISUAL APPROACH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.