- Date
- April 27, 2008, 23:50 local (Apr 28, 2008, 03:50 UTC)
- Place
- White Plains, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5382RCessna 172F
- Defining event
- Approach-IFR final approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080427837609A
- Case key
- 67958
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 the proper glide path during the approach.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While on the instrument landing system (ILS) approach, the pilot of a Cessna 172F, acquired the runway visually. About 3 miles from the runway, he closed his flight plan and continued the visual descent to the runway. The pilot stated he could not see the four-light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) and he failed to monitor his descent path. The airplane descended below the glideslope, impacted the approach lights, and then the localizer antenna. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted prior to the runway threshold. The pilot reported no mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the accident. During the impact, the airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.
Factual narrative
While on the instrument landing system (ILS) approach, the pilot of a Cessna 172F, acquired the runway visually. About 3 miles from the runway, he closed his flight plan and continued the visual descent to the runway. The pilot stated he could not see the four-light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) and he failed to monitor his descent path. The airplane descended below the glideslope, impacted the approach lights, and then the localizer antenna. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted prior to the runway threshold. The pilot reported no mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the accident. During the impact, the airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5382R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17252917
- Airframe hours
- 4,500
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DSV · Dansville, NY
- Destination
- HPN · White Plains, NY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- HPN · Westchester County Airport, runway 16
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
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 550 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night
- Wind
- 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- HPN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.