# NTSB ATL03LA015: Piper PA-28-181, N8389Y, Fayette, AL, November 8, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 7, 2002, 20:10 local (Nov 8, 2002, 02:10 UTC) - Place: Fayette, AL - Coordinates: 33.716667, -87.816665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7167&lon=-87.8167&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Birmingham FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56035 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL03LA015 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56035/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA015 ## Probable cause The pilot's poor inflight decision to land on a non illuminated runway, and the pilot's failure to maintain clearance during an attempted night landing that resulted in an on ground collision with a parked car. A factor was the light condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - night (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis Upon arriving at the destination airport the pilot was unable to activate the runway lights. According to witnesses, the runway lights at the airport were inoperative. In an effort to facilitate a night landing, the pilot requested assistance from the local sheriff department. The sheriff's department requested assistance of friends and employees of the airport to align their vehicles along the side of the runway and turned on their headlights to illuminate the runway. The pilot made two unsuccessful attempts to land. On the third attempt the airplane landed and struck one of the cars parked along the side of the runway. The airplane rolled over, and slid down the runway. The airplane came to rest inverted. There is no record of the pilot obtaining notice to airmen regarding the inoperative runway lights. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing was separated from the airplane. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On November 7, 2002, at 2010 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8389Y, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with an automobile during landing at the Arthur Airport in Fayette, Alabama. The flight was operated under the provision of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from the Arthur Airport, Fayette, Alabama, at 1900, on November 7, 2002. Upon arriving at the destination airport the pilot was unable to activate the runway lights. According to witnesses, the runway lights at the airport were inoperative. In an effort to facilitate a night landing, the pilot requested assistance from the local sheriff department. The sheriff's department requested assistance of friends and employees of the airport to align their vehicles along the side of the runway and turned on their headlights to illuminate the runway. The pilot made two unsuccessful attempts to land. On the third attempt the airplane landed and struck one of the cars parked along the side of the runway. The airplane rolled over, and slid down the runway. The airplane came to rest inverted. There is no record of the pilot obtaining notice to airmen regarding the inoperative runway lights. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing was separated from the airplane. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: N8389Y (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-181 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-8190240 - Airframe hours: 2623 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 19, 2001, 113 hours before - Departed: M95, Fayette, AL - Destination: M95, Fayette, AL - Airport: M95, Richard Arthur Field, runway 36, 4,838 × 80 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 2, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 1,247 total, 792 in this make and model, 1,170 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.26 inHg - Observed at: TCL, 25 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20021107036279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021107036279A), Nov 7, 2002: Piper PA28181, Fayette, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) On the night of November 7, 2002 at 1900 CST, a PA-28, N8389Y, crashed while landing at Richard Arthur Field, Fayette Alabama (M95) with the runway… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.