- Date
- August 11, 1996, 20:20 local (Aug 12, 1996, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- West Kingston, RI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8121KPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 10, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960812022249A
- Case key
- 39228
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 distance and speed during the approach to land, and his failure to go around while there was still sufficient runway remaining, which resulted in an overrun of the runway and collision with trees. The lack of natural lighting at dusk was a related factor.
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 overran the runway during landing, and collided with trees. The pilot reported: 'I arrived overhead (the airport) about 2000 edt. By this time it was almost dark. I made about 4 or 5 passes, being high on each pass. Trees at the approach end of the runway made it difficult, as I couldn't see the top of the trees to judge my height relative to the end of the runway. On the last pass, I dropped it in almost halfway down the runway. It became obvious I was not going to stop in time, and it was too late for an (aborted landing). Knowing there was a precipitous drop at the end of the (runway), I veered to the left, hoping the soft earth would slow me to a stop. I hit the soft earth, and lost control, and ran into the trees.' No mechanical malfunction was reported by the pilot.
Factual narrative
On August 11, 1996 about 2020 eastern daylight time, N8121K, Piper PA-28-181,a personal flight, overran runway 29, and collided with trees during landing at Richmond Airport, West Kingston, Rhode Island. Visual meteorological conditions existed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The departure point was Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported " I arrived overhead (the airport) about 2000 edt. By this time it was almost dark. I made about 4 or 5 passes, being high on each pass. Trees at the approach end of the runway made it difficult as I couldn't see the top of the trees to judge my height relative to the end of the runway. On the last pass, I dropped it in almost halfway down the runway. It became obvious I was not going to stop in time, and it was too late for a wave-off. Knowing there was a precipitous drop at the end of runway 29, I veered to the left, hoping the soft earth would slow me to a stop. I hit the soft earth, and lost control, and ran into the trees."
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8121K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8090142
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Guadolupe Torres
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SFZ · Pawtucket, RI
- Destination
- RI04
- Airport
- RI04 · Richmond, runway 29, 2,100 × 35 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
- 72
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 200 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PVD
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 N8121K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.