What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 1, 2024, at approximately 10:28AM eastern time, a Piper PA-28, privacy data omitted, was on approach to runway 14 at Delaware county airport (kmie), Muncie, Indiana. Weather conditions were instrument flight rules (IFR) with a 500FT ceiling.
Audio recordings confirm the pilot was cleared by indy approach for an RNAV runway 14 approach at kmie. After transfer of communication from indy approach to the kmie tower, the kmie tower cleared privacy data omitted to land on runway 14. In the audio recording, the pilot stated he needed to make a 360 as he "just caught the field". Kmie tower said "roger". The kmie tower then advised privacy data omittedthere was a king air seven miles out on final and to let the tower know when he was re-established. Pilot replied with "roger, will report when re-established on final".
The aircraft was captured on a nearby doorbell camera descending from the clouds with a vertical descent. Video from the doorbell camera shows the pilot appeared to be attempting to level the aircraft but was too low in altitude resulting in impacting trees and onto a pedestrian walking trail. The impact with the trees tore the top off the fuselage, separated the vertical stabiler and both wings. Unburned fuel from wings ingnited causing a fiery ball to follow the aircraft before coming to rest in a wet field.
Two pedestrians on the walking trail were engulfed in the flames from the aircraft as the aircraft passed through the trees and past the pedestrians. Both pedestrians sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns.
Pilot was in critical condition and later passed on April 20th, 2024.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 1, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:28AM EASTERN TIME, A PIPER PA-28, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14 AT DELAWARE COUNTY AIRPORT (KMIE), MUNCIE, INDIANA. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) WITH A 500FT CEILING.
AUDIO RECORDINGS CONFIRM THE PILOT WAS CLEARED BY INDY APPROACH FOR AN RNAV RUNWAY 14 APPROACH AT KMIE. AFTER TRANSFER OF COMMUNICATION FROM INDY APPROACH TO THE KMIE TOWER, THE KMIE TOWER CLEARED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14. IN THE AUDIO RECORDING, THE PILOT STATED HE NEEDED TO MAKE A 360 AS HE "JUST CAUGHT THE FIELD". KMIE TOWER SAID "ROGER". THE KMIE TOWER THEN ADVISED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^THERE WAS A KING AIR SEVEN MILES OUT ON FINAL AND TO LET THE TOWER KNOW WHEN HE WAS RE-ESTABLISHED. PILOT REPLIED WITH "ROGER, WILL REPORT WHEN RE-ESTABLISHED ON FINAL".
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CAPTURED ON A NEARBY DOORBELL CAMERA DESCENDING FROM THE CLOUDS WITH A VERTICAL DESCENT. VIDEO FROM THE DOORBELL CAMERA SHOWS THE PILOT APPEARED TO BE ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT BUT WAS TOO LOW IN ALTITUDE RESULTING IN IMPACTING TREES AND ONTO A PEDESTRIAN WALKING TRAIL. THE IMPACT WITH THE TREES TORE THE TOP OFF THE FUSELAGE, SEPARATED THE VERTICAL STABILER AND BOTH WINGS. UNBURNED FUEL FROM WINGS INGNITED CAUSING A FIERY BALL TO FOLLOW THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A WET FIELD.
TWO PEDESTRIANS ON THE WALKING TRAIL WERE ENGULFED IN THE FLAMES FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THROUGH THE TREES AND PAST THE PEDESTRIANS. BOTH PEDESTRIANS SUSTAINED 2ND AND 3RD DEGREE BURNS.
PILOT WAS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND LATER PASSED ON APRIL 20TH, 2024.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8438B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.