- Date
- September 5, 1993, 11:08 local (15:08 UTC)
- Place
- Block Island, RI
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N46DKPiper PA-46-350P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930905033189A
- Case key
- 8806
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, and his failure to attain proper runway alignment.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During an approach to land, the pilot made s-turns to allow for proper spacing from a preceding airplane. On short final, he decided to go around because the runway was still not clear. However, he reported there was a lack of response concerning the power, so he decided to land as originally planned. The pilot tried to align the airplane with the runway centerline, but its right wing and landing gear struck the ground, and the right landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded off the right side of the runway. During the accident sequence, the outward portion of the right wing was torn away from the airplane and a fuel line was ruptured. A ground fire erupted and burned through the right side of the airplane's structure and right wing. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was reported.
Factual narrative
On Sunday, September 5, 1993, at about 1108 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA46-350P, N46DK, owned, operated, and piloted by Dean Kaman of Bedford, New Hampshire, was destroyed during a landing on runway 10 at the Block Island Airport, Block Island, Rhode Island. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The cross country flight originated from Manchester, New Hampshire, and its final destination was the Block Island Airport. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that on final approach, he maneuvered the airplane making "S" turns to allow proper spacing from the airplane in front of his. The pilot wrote, "On short final I decided to 'go around' because the runway was still not clear. I pushed full throttle and started a (left) turn to the North and raised the nose. Power did not come back so I tried to get back on final and land. I turned back and before I could straighten out on final, the right wing caught the runway."
The pilot stated that after the airplane contacted the runway, the airplane "...skidded to the right..." collapsing the right main gear. The airplane continued across the runway right of the centerline and came to rest in the grass off the runway.
A passenger sitting in the front right seat of the airplane stated that he remembered the pilot putting down the flaps and the landing gear. All of the passengers stated that prior to the landing, they heard the stall warning come on. The passenger seated behind the pilot wrote, "Dean then told us that it was a 'stall/low speed' warning. He then said that we were 10-13 knots above stall since we were at about 80 knots."
The on scene post accident examination of the accident site revealed black rubber deposits which started at the approach end of runway 10, left of the runway centerline, and ended at the airplane's left main gear. The FAA inspector stated there were numerous propeller blade strikes on the runway.
The on scene post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing was broken away from the airplane where the landing gear attaches to the wing. The outer portion of the wing was about 30 feet behind the airplane's final resting place. The fuel line in the right wing was ruptured and a fire damaged the right side of the fuselage and both portions of the right wing. The left wing was buckled. The flaps were fully retracted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46DK
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-350P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4622010
- Airframe hours
- 998
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AEZA, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Deka Research & Devel. Corp
- Registered owner
- Deka Research & Develop. Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 24, 1993 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- MHT · Manchester, NH
- Destination
- BID
- Airport
- BID · Block Island, runway 10, 2,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 700 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 76 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BID
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.