- Date
- April 27, 2005, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Indian Head, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8730EPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Washington FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050427034289A
- Case key
- 61380
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 maintain adequate altitude/clearance while on final approach, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. A factor in this accident was the gusty wind conditions.
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
The airplane was on final approach to runway 36, a 3,000-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot stated that he experienced a "sudden unexpected descent." He applied full engine power; however, the right wing struck a tree, and the airplane impacted the ground, about 100 to 150 feet, short of the runway. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions. Winds reported about the time of the accident, at an airport that was located about 10 miles northwest of the accident site, were from 330 degrees at 9 knots, with 14 knot gusts.
Factual narrative
On April 27, 2005, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N8730E, was substantially damaged while landing at the Maryland Airport (2W5), Indian Head, Maryland. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that the airplane was on final approach to runway 36, a 3,000-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway, when he experienced a "sudden unexpected descent." He applied full engine power; however, the right wing struck a tree, and the airplane impacted the ground.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions. The inspector noted that the approach end of the runway contained a 50-foot drop off. The airplane impacted the ground about 100 to 150 feet prior to the runway.
The pilot reported 400 hours of total fight experience, which included about 95 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Winds reported about the time of the accident, at an airport that was located about 10 miles northwest of 2W5, were from 330 degrees at 9 knots, with 14 knot gusts.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8730E
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7625151
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas W. Reichard
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 2W5 · Indian Head, MD
- Destination
- 2W5 · Indian Head, MD
- Airport
- 2W5 · Maryland Airport, runway 36, 3,000 × 50 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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 94 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- DAA, 10 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.
Other investigations on N8730E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.