- Date
- June 19, 2016, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Block Island, RI
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N44255Piper PA32
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 10, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160619024369A
- Case key
- 93407
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 attain the proper touchdown point and the airplane’s subsequent collision with obstacles during an attempted go-around.
Findings · 4
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
According to the pilot, while on final approach to land on a 2,502-ft-long, asphalt runway, he observed another airplane back-taxiing on the runway and then depart. He continued the approach, performed a "normal" full-flaps landing, and the airplane touched down about midfield. During the rollout, he determined that there was insufficient runway remaining to stop and chose to attempt a go-around. The airplane subsequently struck the airport perimeter fence and then a roadway guard rail before it impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated that the accident might have been prevented by aborting the landing earlier.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while on final approach to land on a 2,502-foot-long, asphalt runway, he observed another airplane back-taxiing on the runway and then depart. He continued the approach, performed a "normal" full flaps landing, and the airplane touched down about midfield. During the rollout, he determined that there was insufficient runway remaining to stop, and chose to attempt a go-around. The airplane subsequently struck the airport perimeter fence and then a roadway guard rail before it impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot further reported he did not experience any pre-accident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated that the accident might have been prevented by aborting the landing earlier.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44255
- Reported as
- Piper PA32 (260)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7400048
- Built
- 1974
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HVN · New Haven, CT
- Destination
- BID · Block Island, RI
- Airport
- BID · Block Island State, runway 28, 2,502 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 455 total · 200 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.34 inHg
- Observed at
- BID, 1 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 30, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB 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.