# NTSB CEN20LA401: Piper PA32, N8213X, Kokomo, IN, September 20, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 20, 2020, 10:57 local (14:57 UTC) - Place: Kokomo, IN - Coordinates: 40.529342, -86.170822 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5293&lon=-86.1708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal, 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA, Lycoming Engines, Piper Aircraft - NTSB case key (mKey): 101994 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA401 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101994/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101994 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA401 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with a utility pole and the subsequent collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: pole](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-301, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7103207), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane owner reported that the accident pilot had volunteered to fly the airplane in support of a charity fundraising event. It was the pilot’s first flight of the day. The accident pilot was a local pilot and had flown the airplane for the event the entire day prior with no issues, so he was familiar with the airport’s approach. A witness reported that the airplane appeared low on the approach. He noted the flaps were extended and the engine was running. Then the airplane’s nose-gear and the right main landing gear “clipped” a utility pole. The airplane subsequently impacted in a cornfield and immediately caught fire. The witness added that it did not appear the airplane tried to climb to avoid the power lines before striking the utility pole. The airplane struck the tops of a 79 ft wood power pole and a 61 ft wood dual pole utility tower on the approach to runway 18 about 875 ft north of the approach end of runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident is consistent with the pilot’s failure to see the utility poles while on the approach. ## Factual narrative Runway 18 is 2,048 ft long with a 292 ft displaced threshold marked with yellow metal markers. The runway surface is turf and there are no visual glide slope indicators. The 8I3 information guide identifies 60 ft powerlines 875 ft from the approach end and 0 ft. right of centerline. The runway has a 20:1 approach slope to the displaced threshold. The utility line was marked with an orange, ball-like marker. On September 20, 2020, about 1057 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301 airplane, N8213X, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Kokomo, Indiana. The pilot, and 2 passengers were fatally injured. One passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The airplane owner reported that the accident pilot had volunteered to fly the airplane in support of a charity fundraising event at the Glenndale Airport (8I3), Kokomo, Indiana. The morning of the accident, the pilot offered to fly three other volunteers on a flight around the area. It was the pilot’s first flight of the day. The owner added that the pilot had flown the airplane for the event the entire day prior with no issues and so he was familiar with the approach to 8I3. A witness who was taxiing his airplane to the runway and was about 1,000 ft from the approach end reported that the accident airplane appeared low on the approach. He noted the flaps were extended and the engine was running. The airplane’s nosegear and the right main landing gear “clipped” the utility pole, and the airplane subsequently yawed to the right and “cartwheel[ed] over on itself.” The airplane impacted a cornfield and immediately caught fire. The witness added that it did not appear the airplane tried to climb to avoid the power lines before striking the utility pole. The accident scene starts with two wood utility poles that supports powerlines, which run northeast to southwest and located about 875 ft north of the approach end of runway 18. The top of a single 79 ft tall pole was broken. Just south of the single pole was a 61 ft tall dual pole utility tower on which one of the top angular cross poles that supported a wire was also broken. See Figure 1. Figure 1. Broken Wood Power Pole and Broken Dual Pole Utility Tower. FAA Photo. The airplane main wreckage was located 277 ft south of the dual pole utility tower. The airplane was inverted and oriented on an easterly heading. The majority of the airplane’s structure was consumed by fire. The airplane was recovered to a hangar on 8I3 and examined. Flight control and engine continuity were confirmed. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation were found. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8213X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8213X-2021-10-30), registration cancelled 2021-10-30, S/N 32-8006051, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA32 (301) - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301) (registry code 7103207) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-8006051 - Year built: 1980 - Airframe hours: 4363 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 SER reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Jerral A. Long - Registered owner: Glenndale LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 16, 2019 - Departed: 8I3, Kokomo, IN - Airport: 8I3, Glenndale Airport, runway 18, 2,048 × 110 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,119.7 total, 35.8 in this make and model, 1,094.2 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.46 inHg - Observed at: OKK, 8.73 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 20200920016179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200920016179A), Sep 20, 2020: Piper PA-32-301, Kokomo, IN, Destroyed, 3 fatal. The flight departed Sunday morning; September 20, 2020 under visual flight rules (VFR) from the Glenndale Airport (8I3), located in Kokomo, Indiana. The local… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101994. 12.0 MB in all. - Witness statement, gerald keller (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12758198&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Witness%20Statement%20Glenndale%20Gerry%20Keller_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Passenger statement, cameron wagler (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12728907&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Interview%20with%20Surviving%20Passenger%20Cameron%20Wagler-Rel.pdf - Interview statement, william rose (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12728917&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Glenndale%20Accident%20Witness%20Statement_William%20Rose_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statement, zachary funk (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 201 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12729333&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Zachary%20Funk%20Witness%20Report%20NTSB-Rel.pdf - Wreckage diagram (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 520 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12728762&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Diagram-Rel.pdf - Summary of airframe examination (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 914 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12733373&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20LA401%20Summary%20of%20Airframe%20Examination_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation, Lycoming (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 723 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12732927&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Party%20Form%20Lycoming_signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation, Piper (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 504 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12729125&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Party%20Form%20Piper_signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 491 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12758208&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20LA401%20NTSB_Wreckage%20Release_completed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 122 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12759370&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20toxicology%20report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Howard county sheriff's incident report (item 11, PDF, 29 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12731983&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Howard%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Incident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photographs (item 12, PDF, 14 pages, 7.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12759198&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Kokomo,%20IN%20Photo%20Array,%20pdf-Rel.pdf 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.