- Date
- November 23, 2019, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Simsbury, CT
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5776WPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191123021639A
- Case key
- 100629
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 automobile driver's incursion onto an active runway, which resulted in a collision with a landing airplane.
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
The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was landing, a car drove onto the runway and struck the left wing. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The vehicle's driver reported that he stopped at the entrance of the runway and looked left and right to make sure it was clear. While crossing the runway, he heard glass shatter and felt a heavy impact. He did not see the airplane until after the collision. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was landing, a car did not stop at the hold short line and drove onto the runway. The car struck the left wing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest on the runway. The driver of the vehicle reported that, he stopped at the entrance of the runway and checked left and right to make sure it was clear. While crossing the runway he heard glass shatter and a heavy impact. At no time did he see the airplane, until after the collision. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage and empennage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5776W
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-1611
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 1,733
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Future Flyers Of Connecticut Llc
- Registered owner
- Future Flyers Of Connecticut Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 2019
- Departed
- 4B8 · Plainville, CT
- Destination
- 4B9 · Simsbury, CT
- Airport
- 4B9 · Simsbury, runway 03, 2,205 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 20 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 45 in this make and model · 389 as pilot in command · 163 in the last 90 days · 56 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KBDL, 4 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.
Other investigations on N5776W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.