- Date
- October 14, 2002, 13:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Block Island, RI
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5675VPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20021014028489A
- Case key
- 55874
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 misjudgment of speed and distance as a result of physical impairment due to smoke.
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
While in cruise flight, the pilot observed smoke in the cockpit, and diverted to an airport. During the diversion, due to the smoke in the cockpit, the pilot suffered a burning sensation in his eyes and nose, a headache, and dizziness. Subsequently, the airplane touched down fast, about 800-900 feet beyond the approach end of the 2,501-foot long runway, overran the runway, and struck a fence. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the plastic housing and associated wiring on the battery box solenoid relay had melted.
Factual narrative
On October 14, 2002, about 1355 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N5675V, was substantially damaged during an overrun at Block Island State Airport (BID), Block Island, Rhode Island. The certificated private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Nantucket Memorial Airport, Nantucket, Massachusetts; destined for Freeway Airport, Mitchellville, Maryland. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that the airplane was in cruise flight at 8,500 feet, about 27 nautical miles southeast of BID. About 1330, the pilot and passengers observed smoke in the cockpit, and notified the Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The flight was then vectored to BID. The pilot performed an emergency landing to runway 28, a 2,501-foot long asphalt runway. During the landing, the airplane touched down fast, about 800-900 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. The airplane subsequently overran the runway and struck a fence.
The pilot stated that during the diversion, due to the smoke, he suffered a burning sensation in his eyes and nose, a headache, and dizziness. Additionally, the smoke restricted the pilot's forward visibility.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The left wing and horizontal stabilator were also damaged. Further examination revealed that the plastic housing and associated wiring on the battery box solenoid relay had melted.
The reported winds at BID, at 1355, were from 360 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5675V
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7790493
- Airframe hours
- 6,871
- Engine
- Lom O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Freeway Airport Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 6, 2002
- Departed
- ACK · Nantucket, MA
- Destination
- W00 · Mitchellville, MD
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- BID · Block Island State Airport, runway 28, 2,501 × 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
- 30
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- June 16, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 265 total · 7 in this make and model · 125 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- BID
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.