CHI05CA241

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-22-150 · Brodhead, WI · August 20, 2005

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 20, 2005, 08:40 local (13:40 UTC)
Place
Brodhead, WI
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N2373PPiper PA-22-150
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 20, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Milwaukee, WI FSDO
FAA report
20050820024059A
Case key
62416

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's misjudged distance/altitude which resulted in an undershoot. A related factor was the vehicle the airplane contacted.

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.

UndershootApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Distance/altitude - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Object - vehicleFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The airplane contacted a vehicle while on final approach to land. The pilot stated that while on base leg in the traffic pattern, he appeared to be a "bit high" so he reduced the power slightly. The airplane started to "settle quickly" after he turned onto final approach, so he reapplied power and adjusted his flight controls to maintain airspeed. The pilot reported that his focus at this point was the runway and the corn field which was below him. He stated that the portion of the road that he could see and runway both appeared clear. The pilot reported everything appeared "normal" until he approached the edge of the corn field at which time he sensed he was low, so he added power. The pilot continued to report, "The crest of the road at the approach course was obscured by my own aircraft as I saw the terrain rising toward me. Interpreting it as sink despite my power, I did not realize it was actually the elevation rising. ... Seeing the road approach beneath my wheels all I can then recall was my bewilderment when the airplane lurched." The Chevy Blazer was traveling southbound on a road which boarders the east side of the airport. The right main landing gear struck the frame above the left rear passenger window, and the nose gear contacted the left side of the windshield and the driver's door window frame. The airplane traveled about 46 feet after striking the vehicle, coming rest in the grass area approximately 443 feet prior to the approach end of runway 21. Neither the pilot nor the driver of the vehicle saw each other prior to the impact.

Factual narrative

On August 20, 2005, at 0840 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, N2373P, collided with a vehicle while landing on runway 21 (1,480 feet by 100 feet, grass) at the Brodhead Airport (C37), Brodhead, Wisconsin. The pilot received minor injuries and the driver of vehicle was not injured. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Brooklyn, Wisconsin, at 0815.

The pilot stated that while on base leg in the traffic pattern, he appeared to be a "bit high" so he reduced the power slightly. He stated the airplane started to "settle quickly" after he turned onto final approach, so he reapplied power and adjusted his flight controls to maintain airspeed. The pilot reported that his focus at this point was the runway and the corn field which was below him. He stated that the portion of the road that he could see and runway both appeared clear.

The pilot reported everything appeared "normal" until he approached the edge of the corn field at which time he sensed he was low, so he added power. The pilot continued to report, "The crest of the road at the approach course was obscured by my own aircraft as I saw the terrain rising toward me. Interpreting it as sink despite my power, I did not realize it was actually the elevation rising. ... Seeing the road approach beneath my wheels all I can then recall was my bewilderment when the airplane lurched."

According to the Green County Sheriff's Office the Chevy Blazer was traveling southbound on Brodhead Airport Road. This road boarders the east side of the airport. The airplane contacted the drivers side of the Blazer. The sheriff's office reported that appears as if the right main landing gear struck the frame above the left rear passenger window, and the nose gear contacted the left side of the windshield and the driver's door window frame. The airplane traveled about 46 feet after striking the vehicle, coming rest in the grass area approximately 443 feet prior to the approach end of runway 21. Neither the pilot nor the driver of the vehicle saw each other prior to the impact.

Aircraft

Registration
N2373P
Reported as
Piper PA-22-150
Category
Airplane
Serial number
22-2764
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 150 hp, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Robin J. Bosley
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
7WI5 · Brooklyn, WI
Destination
C37 · Brodhead, WI

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
54
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Flight hours
1,490 total · 113 in this make and model · 1,308 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
1,200 ft broken
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
29.89 inHg
Observed at
JVL

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.