# NTSB NYC00LA242: Piper PA-32-300, N8133Z, Nantucket, MA, August 26, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 25, 2000, 23:45 local (Aug 26, 2000, 03:45 UTC) - Place: Nantucket, MA - Location: 41.2533° N, 70.0605° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at NANTUCKET MEML (ACK), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2533&lon=-70.0605&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50094 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA242 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50094/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA242 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glide path to the runway. Factors related to the accident were the fog conditions and the pilot’s fatigue. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - proper glidepath - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - fatigue, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - approach light/navaid - light condition - night ## Analysis The pilot had been awake for most of the day. Prior to the flight, the pilot's wife had been injured and was medically treated and released from a hospital. The pilot and his wife departed on a visual flight rules flight plan and proceeded eastbound. As the airplane neared the destination airport, the pilot could see the entire island and airport, but filed an IFR flight plan with a Flight Service Station due to the "widely scattered, low, ground fog" in the area. While on an ILS approach, the pilot noticed that there was a patch of ground fog around the approach lights, but the entire runway surface and lights were visible. He then "descended early" and the right main landing gear struck an approach light stanchion, shearing the gear assembly off. The airplane touched down on the runway, slid about 200 feet, came to rest, and a fire ensued. Inspection of the instrument landing system the day after the accident revealed no anomalies. The weather about the time of the accident was, winds from 280 at 3 knots, 1/4 mile visibility, fog, vertical visibility 100 feet. ## Factual narrative On August 25, 2000, about 2345 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-32-300, N8133Z, was destroyed during a post crash fire after landing at the Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), Nantucket, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed en route for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he had been awake for most of the day. Prior to the flight, a vehicle struck the pilot's wife while she crossed a street. The pilot's wife was medically treated and released from the hospital. She and the pilot then proceeded to the Selinsgrove Airport (SEG), Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. About 2115, the pilot and his wife departed SEG on a visual flight rules flight plan and proceeded eastbound. As the airplane neared Nantucket, the pilot could see the entire island and airport, but filed an IFR flight plan with the Bridgeport Flight Service Station due to the "widely scattered, low, ground fog" in the area. The pilot received an IFR clearance and was issued the Runway 24 ILS approach. While on the approach, the pilot noticed that there was a patch of ground fog around the approach lights, but the entire runway surface and lights were visible. He then "descended early" and the right main landing gear struck an approach light stanchion, shearing the gear assembly off. The airplane touched down on the runway, slid about 200 feet and came to rest. The pilot attempted to contact Boston Center to advise them of the accident, but was not successful. An odor of fuel became present and the occupants exited the airplane. A fire ensued and the pilot went in search for help and to cancel his IFR flight plan. The Federal Aviation Administration performed a flight inspection of the instrument landing system on August 26, 2000. The instrument landing system facility was "found satisfactory." The high intensity runway lighting, touchdown zone lighting, centerline lighting, and pilot control lighting, were also "found satisfactory." The approach lighting system could not be tested due to damage from the accident. The ACK weather, at 2336 was, winds from 280 at 3 knots, 1/4-mile visibility, fog, vertical visibility 100 feet, and a temperature and dew point of 59 degrees Fahrenheit. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8133Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8133Z-2001-04-05), registration cancelled 2001-04-05, S/N 32-7940272 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-7940272 - Airframe hours: 2905 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K165 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard F. Perry - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 24, 2000, 80 hours before - Departed: SEG, SELINSGROVE, PA - Destination: ACK - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ACK, Nantucket Memorial, runway 24, 6,303 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,580 total, 1,300 in this make and model, 1,350 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 280° at 3 knots - Visibility: 0.25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 100 ft - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ACK ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000825041059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000825041059A), Aug 25, 2000: Piper PA32300, Nantucket, MA, No damage. (-23)N8133Z was on a VFR flight from williamsport, pa (ipt) to Nantucket, MA (ack) and obtained an IFR clearance from bos ARTCC for an ILS rwy 24 approach. The… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.