# NTSB NYC83LA202: Piper PA-32-260, N5533J, Westerly, RI, August 7, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 7, 1983, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Westerly, RI
- Location: 41.3496° N, 71.8034° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WESTERLY STATE (WST), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3496&lon=-71.8034&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35247
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC83LA202
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35247/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC83LA202

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - from landing
  - other airport/runway maintenance - performed
  - airport facilities,obstruction marking - inadequate (cause)
  - unsafe/hazardous condition warning - inadequate, airport personnel (cause)
  - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

AFTER LANDING, THE PLT PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE RAMP AREA. WHILE MANEUVERING WITHIN THE RAMP AREA, THE PLT TAXIED THE ACFT INTO A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. REPORTEDLY, THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL DROPPED INTO A ROUGH AREA & RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING & MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER & BRAKE LINE. THE PLT STATED THAT THIS AREA WAS NOT ADEQUATELY MARKED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5533J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5533J-1995-07-13), registration cancelled 1995-07-13, S/N 32995 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-995
- Airframe hours: 8857
- Engines: LYCOMING O-540-E45B 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: New England Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 3, 1983, 14 hours before
- Departed: BID, BLOCK ISLAND, RI
- Destination: WST, WESTERLY, RI
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: WST, Wersterly State

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 24; airline transport, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,177 total, 42 in this make and model, 1,995 as pilot in command, 66 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830807041419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830807041419A), Aug 7, 1983: Piper PA32260, Westerly, RI, Substantial damage. Taxied into unmarked construction area. Right wheel dropped into a hole and damaged right wing.

## Other investigations on N5533J (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC86LA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC86LA172), Jul 3, 1986: Piper PA-32 (N5533J), Block Island, RI, substantial damage

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.