- Date
- May 19, 2003, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Blaney Park, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9181PPiper PA-24-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030519013869A
- Case key
- 57027
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's failure to maintain clearance with the tree line. Factors contributing to this accident were the wind gusts and 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 impacted trees and terrain while on landing approach. The pilot reported encountering a sudden sink rate 125 to 150 feet above ground level, while descending to land on runway 16. The pilot noted he increased engine power and pulled back on the yoke in an attempt to stop the descent. The pilot stated the airplane continued to descend and impacted a line of trees. The pilot reported the airplane slid 15 to 20 feet and pivoted to the right 180 degrees. At 1557, a weather reporting station, 13 nautical miles to the west-southwest of the accident site, reported the winds from 210 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 2003, at 1500 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260, N9181P, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees, while on approach to runway 16 (3,000 feet by 90 feet, macadam) at a private airstrip near Blaney Park, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight departed Pontiac, Michigan, at 1215.
The pilot reported he encountered a "sudden sink rate" while descending to land at the private airstrip. The pilot noted he was at 125 to 150 feet above ground level when the airplane began the uncontrolled descent. The pilot stated he increased power and applied backpressure to the yoke. The pilot indicated the airplane continued to descend into a line of trees 75 to 100 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot reported the airplane impacted the trees and subsequently the terrain short of the runway. The pilot noted the airplane slid 15 to 20 feet and pivoted to the right about 180 degrees.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident flight.
At 1557, a weather reporting station at Schoolcraft County Airport (ISQ), 13 nautical miles to the west-southwest of the accident site, reported the winds from 210 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9181P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4671
- Airframe hours
- 4,462
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 27, 2003 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- PTK · Pontiac, MI
- Destination
- PVT · Blaney Park, MI
- Airport
- PVT · Private, runway 16, 3,000 × 90 ft, macadam
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
- 84
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2001
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,795 total · 2,795 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- ISQ, 13 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.