- Date
- October 28, 2001, 12:56 local (17:56 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4879LPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 4, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-South Bend, Indiana - FSDO
- FAA report
- 20011028036869A
- Case key
- 53702
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
The pilot not maintaining control of the airplane during an attempted go-around. A factor was the trees.
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
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted trees while attempting a go-around. The pilot reported that while on short final for landing, a gust of wind blew the airplane off the runway centerline. He said that he, "...immediately executed a go-around in which the plane banked sharply right, which [he] could not counter...." In a separate report, the pilot said that he was landing on runway 23 when the airplane banked sharply to the right. He said that he, "...attempted a go-around while trying to level the wings with no avail and crashed into trees north-east of the airport." The pilot listed no mechanical malfunction in his reports of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. A weather report for a recording station located about 10 nautical miles south of the accident site listed the wind at 1254 as 240 degrees magnetic at 11 knots. No wind gusts were recorded for that report.
Factual narrative
On October 28, 2001, at 1256 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N4879L, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain while attempting a go-around from runway 23 (3,110 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) at the Smith Field Airport, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was on a visual flight rules flight plan. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The flight originated from the Delaware County-Johnson Field Airport, Muncie, Indiana about 1200.
In a written report, the pilot said that while on short final for landing, a gust of wind blew the airplane off the runway centerline. He said that he, "...immediately executed a go-around in which the plane banked sharply right, which [he] could not counter...." In a separate report, the pilot said that he was landing on runway 23 when the airplane banked sharply to the right. He said that he, "...attempted a go-around while trying to level the wings with no avail and crashed into trees north-east of the airport." The pilot listed no mechanical malfunction in his reports of the accident.
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.
A weather report for a recording station located about 10 nautical miles south of the accident site listed the wind at 1254 as 240 degrees magnetic at 11 knots. No wind gusts were recorded for that report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4879L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4245
- Airframe hours
- 4,402
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- 65R Club, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 2001
- Departed
- MIE · Muncie, IN
- Destination
- SMD · Fort Wayne, IN
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- SMD · Smith Field, runway 23, 3,110 × 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
- 35
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 5, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 121 total · 9 in this make and model · 79 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.50 inHg
- Observed at
- FWA, 10 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.