- Date
- January 13, 2009, 17:34 local (22:34 UTC)
- Place
- Manteo, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7918CPiper PA-32R-300
- Defining event
- Approach-circling (IFR): Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090113001929A
- Case key
- 73232
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 follow the missed approach procedure while landing with a low ceiling.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During a global-positioning-system approach at his destination airport, the pilot was unable to see the runway at the missed approach point until he had just retracted the landing gear to go-around and circle to land. He lined up with the runway too low and struck trees. The airplane came to rest on the porch roof of a residence. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and empennage had sustained substantial damage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were discovered. The airport elevation was 14 feet mean sea level (msl). The required ceiling for a straight in approach was 440 feet msl. The required ceiling for a circling approach was 600 feet msl. The ceiling at the time of the accident was 300 feet above ground level.
Factual narrative
During a GPS approach at his destination airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-32R-300 was unable to "see the runway" at the missed approach point and then suddenly, the "runway was right there." The pilot however, had just retracted the landing gear to "go miss," so he decided to circle to land. He lined up with the runway but "got too low," and struck trees. The airplane came to rest on the porch roof of a residence. Post accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and empennage had sustained substantial damage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were discovered. The airport elevation was 14 feet above sea level (msl). The required ceiling for a straight in approach was 440 feet msl. The required ceiling for a circling approach was 600 feet msl. The ceiling at the time of the accident was 300 feet above ground level.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7918C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7680067
- Airframe hours
- 4,101
- Engine
- Lycoming I0-540-K1A5D, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 28, 2008
- Departed
- EQY · Monroe, NC
- Destination
- MQI · Manteo, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MQI · Dare County Regional Airport, runway 23, 4,300 × 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
- 56
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 15, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 491 total · 359 in this make and model · 392 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- MQI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.