- Date
- October 1, 2002, 10:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Edgartown, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8071ZPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20021001030319A
- Case key
- 55854
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 inadequate in-flight evaluation of the landing facilities wind conditions, and inadequate airspeed resulting in a stall/mush. A factor related to the accident was the tailwind condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Arriving in the airport area, the pilot determined that the wind was favoring runway 06. While on approach to runway 06, severe turbulence and a wind shift was encountered. After crossing the threshold of the runway, the airplane appeared to be landing with a tailwind, and the pilot initiated a go-around. During the go-around, as the pilot pulled back on the control yoke, the airplane continued to descend towards the ground. The airplane struck a tree, touched down in a grass field located beyond the departure end of the runway, and came to rest upright. The recorded weather at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 250 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
Factual narrative
On October 1, 2002, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8071Z, was substantially damaged during a go-around from the Katama Airport, Edgartown, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, upon arriving in the airport area, he determined that the wind was favoring runway 06; a 2,700-foot long, 50-foot wide, turf runway. While on approach to runway 06, severe turbulence and a wind shift was encountered. After crossing the threshold of the runway, the airplane appeared to be landing with a tailwind, and the pilot initiated a go-around. During the go-around, as the pilot pulled back on the control yoke, the airplane continued to descend toward the ground. The airplane struck a tree, touched down in a grass field located beyond the departure end of the runway, and came to rest upright.
The pilot additionally reported he did not experience any difficulties with the engine or airframe during the flight.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the lower empennage section of the airplane. The examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe.
The recorded weather at a nearby airport, at 1053, included winds from 250 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The recorded winds at 0953 were from 260 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8071Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8290087
- Airframe hours
- 2,553
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 181 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daniel Scanlon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 2, 2002 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- PVD · Providence, RI
- Destination
- 1B2 · Edgartown, MA
- Airport
- 1B2 · Katama Airport, runway 06, 2,700 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 28, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,482 total · 2,189 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- MVY, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.