- Date
- December 22, 2004, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hartford, CT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N714KLPiper PA-46-350P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20041222034249A
- Case key
- 60838
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 clearance from trees during the approach to the runway. A factor related to the accident was the nighttime 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
As the airplane was approaching the airport in nighttime conditions, the passenger alerted the pilot that they were low, and he subsequently lost visual contact with the runway. The airplane then impacted trees located about 2 miles from the runway threshold. The pilot continued the approach, and landed uneventfully. Examination of the airplane revealed spar damage to the leading edge of the left wing, and damage to the left landing gear door, the left flap, and the left horizontal stabilizer. The left wing outboard recognition light was also damaged, and the light fixture cavity contained numerous tree buds.
Factual narrative
On December 22, 2004, at 1730 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N714KL, was substantially damaged while landing at the Hartford Brainard Airport (HFD), Hartford, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local maintenance test flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he was flying the airplane with an avionics mechanic to test new avionics that were recently installed. After completing several approaches at another airport, the pilot elected to return to HFD, and conduct an approach to runway 2. During the final segment of the approach, the pilot felt a "thump" coming from the left wing area. The pilot continued the approach, and landed uneventfully. After parking the airplane, the pilot inspected the left wing and observed "distorted spots in the wing, and a broken position light."
According to the passenger, as the flight approached the airport, the pilot appeared to be flying a "very shallow" approach path to the runway. As the airplane continued to descend, the passenger lost sight of the runway due to the trees that were in front of them. He then heard loud impacts as the airplane struck trees located about 2 miles from the runway threshold.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed spar damage to the leading edge of the left wing, and damage to the left landing gear door, the left flap, and the left horizontal stabilizer. The inspector also observed that the left wing outboard recognition light was damaged, and the light fixture cavity contained numerous tree buds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N714KL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-350P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46-36328
- Airframe hours
- 260
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- D Ellis & Co. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2004 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- HFD · Hartford, CT
- Airport
- HFD · Hartford Brainard Airport, runway 02, 4,417 × 150 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,002 total · 200 in this make and model · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- HFD, 2 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.