- Date
- February 17, 2012, 19:30 local (Feb 18, 2012, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Swainsboro, GA
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N47863Piper PA-32R-300
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120217001999A
- Case key
- 82946
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 the proper glidepath during final approach in night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot reported that the airplane was approaching the destination airport on the base leg of the traffic pattern in night visual meteorological conditions. At that time, the runway lights were set on high intensity, which diluted the threshold lights. Additionally, the pilot stated that the red localizer antenna hazard lights distracted him (they were located about 750 feet before the runway threshold). He further stated that he was too low and struck trees during final approach. The airplane impacted trees with both wings about 2,400 feet before the runway threshold. The impact with trees resulted in damage to the left wing spar, lower fuselage, and the stabilator. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Following the accident, the airport manager checked all runway lighting and found them to be operational.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the airplane was approaching the destination airport on a base leg of the traffic pattern in night visual conditions. At that time, the runway lights were set on high intensity, which diluted the threshold lights. Additionally, the red localizer antenna hazard lights were distracting. The pilot further stated that he was too low and struck trees during final approach; however, the airplane landed on the runway without further incident. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that the airplane impacted trees with both wings about 2,400 feet prior to the runway threshold. The impact with trees resulted in damage to the left wing spar, lower fuselage, and the stabilator. The runway was 6,021 feet long and was equipped with a localizer approach, but was not equipped with an instrument landing system approach. The runway was also not equipped with a visual approach slope indicator. The red localizer antenna hazard lights were located about 750 feet prior to the runway threshold. Following the accident, the airport manager checked all runway lighting and found them to be operational.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47863
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7880025
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ronnie Osburn
- Registered owner
- All Pro Auto Parts Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GIF · Winter Haven, FL
- Destination
- SBO · Swainsboro, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SBO · Emanuel County Airport, runway 31, 6,021 × 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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 23, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- SBO
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 24, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 716 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N47863 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.