# NTSB NYC99FA220: Piper PA-32-260, N4830S, Westerly, RI, September 5, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: September 5, 1999, 11:53 local (15:53 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: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal, 2 serious - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47315 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99FA220 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47315/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99FA220 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during a turn. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - grass ## Analysis According to a passenger, the airplane departed normally but seemed 'very shaky.' As the airplane climbed, it began to slowly turn to the right, and the pilot had a concerned look on his face as he reached up to an area where the air vents were located. The pilot then moved his right hand down to an area where the communications and navigation radios were located, and appeared to turn a dial. The pilot then immediately moved his right hand from the radio area to the yoke, gripping the yoke with both hands and turning it about 90 degrees to the left. The airplane banked to the left, descended, and impacted terrain in an open field about 200 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Witnesses recalled hearing the airplane's engine 'operating normally,' as it departed. Rotational damage was observed on both propeller blades after the accident. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 5, 1999, about 1153 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-32-260, N4830S, operated by New England Airlines, Inc., was substantially damaged during takeoff from the Westerly State Airport, Westerly, Rhode Island. The certificated airline transport pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. Two additional passengers were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the scheduled commuter flight to Block Island, Rhode Island. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135. According to a passenger that was seated behind the right front seat passenger, she recalled entering the airplane from the over the wing entrance and climbing into the middle right seat. The pilot did brief the passengers on where the safety card was located and that they should review them. He also briefed on the locations of the life preservers and other safety related items. The pilot then closed the door from where the passenger had entered, but she could not recall him securing the upper latch located on the door. The engine was then started and the airplane was taxied to Runway 07. About halfway to the runway, the pilot stopped the airplane and revved the engine up several times. He then taxied the airplane to the runway, where he revved the engine a second time. The airplane then departed like any other airplane that the passenger had been on before, but it seemed "very shaky." The passenger further stated that the engine sounded normal to the passenger, with no noticeable hesitations, sputters, bangs, or stoppage. As the airplane climbed, it began to slowly turn to the right, as if it were heading towards Block Island. The pilot then had a concerned look on his face and reached up to an area where the air vents were located. The passenger did recall that the pilot was sweating, by the noticeable perspiration on his head. The pilot then moved his right hand down to an area where the communications and navigation radios were located, and appeared to turn a dial. The pilot then immediately moved his right hand from the radio area to the yoke, gripping the yoke with both hands. The passenger recalled that the yoke then turned about 90 degrees to the left, and the airplane started to bank to the left. As the airplane continued to bank, the passenger did not feel any immediate concern at this point due to the fact that she thought the pilot was going to head back in the direction as they had departed from, "as if they were going to proceed straight out." The airplane continued to bank to the left, and began to descend. The passenger did not recall anything further. The passenger also added that the engine noises she heard during the flight were "nothing noticeable, except that it was a consistent noise." The airplane impacted terrain in an open field about 200 feet beyond and to the left of the departure end of Runway 07, and came to rest oriented on a magnetic bearing of 040 degrees. According to a pilot flying an airplane with a banner attached, he was over Weekapbog, Rhode Island, inbound to WST, when he heard a radio transmission that a "Piper" was going to takeoff on Runway 7. The pilot responded over the radio that he was leaving the shoreline, and was going to enter the airport traffic pattern on the crosswind leg. He then observed the "Piper" lift off the runway normally out the forward left side of his windshield. The "Piper" radioed, "banner tow, I have you in sight." The pilot responded, "I have you also." The "Piper" radioed that he would be going to the southeast. The pilot looked to see the plane again, but he could not see it, and thought that the "Piper" might have taken a right turn towards Block Island. The pilot proceeded to drop off his banner, then came around the pattern a second time, when he saw a white scooter heading towards the departure end of Runway 7. The pilot added that the wind conditions were from the southeast at 10 to 12 knots. The pilot did not feel any windshear at any time during his first approach to the runway or the proceeding landing. The pilot additionally stated that when he was on the crosswind for Runway 7, he was perpendicular to the numbers, about 1,000 feet above the surface. When he saw the "Piper" in front of him, there was about 1/2-mile distance between them. The pilot also stated that to his knowledge, the banner would not droop any less than about 100 feet below the airplane towing it. A witness, located at the south side of the airport, stated that he heard an airplane takeoff, but did not see it. The airplane had a "normal engine sound to it, nothing sounded abnormal." Moments later the witness heard a loud crash and ran to the scene. A second witness, located near an open hangar at the north side of the airport, stated that he had seen the airplane from his position looking over the hanger, as it was climbing, about 100-150 feet above the ground. The witness additionally stated that he recalled hearing the engine operating normally. A third witness, located in a parking lot about one-quarter of a mile from the departure end of the runway, stated that she had heard an airplane in the air, and looked up. She saw the airplane, climbing straight, just above a tree line that was in her view. The engine noise of the airplane then went silent, "very abruptly." About 6 seconds later the engine sound came back. The airplane then began to descend straight down below the same tree line, out of her view. A fourth witness, located on a golf course south of the airport, stated that he heard an airplane depart at "full throttle." About 10 seconds after first hearing the airplane, the engine abruptly went "full silent," followed 3 seconds later by a series of "crunching" sounds. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight approximately 41 degrees, 21 minutes north latitude, and 71 degrees, 48 minutes west longitude, at an elevation of 81 feet mean sea level. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, and airplane multiengine land and sea. The pilot also held a flight instructor certificate for airplane single engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first class medical certificate was issued on April 4, 1999, with no restrictions or limitations. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated about 5,259 total flight hours, of which about 202 hours of experience were in the Piper PA-32 series of airplanes. The last documented flight in any Piper PA-32 series airplanes was on August 31, 1999. The last documented flight in a Piper PA-32-260 was on July 8, 1999. The pilot had received recurrent training in a Piper PA-32-300 on August 31, 1999. The pilot also received an Airman Competency/Proficiency Check on August 31, 1999, and passed with satisfactory results. The pilot had also flown earlier the day of the accident in a Britten Norman BN2A for about 1 hour. Additionally, the pilot was employed as a first officer for a regional air carrier that operated Beech 1900D airplanes. The pilot had last flown the Beech 1900D on September 3, 1999. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION According to maintenance records, as of September 2, 1999, the airplane had accumulated about 19,792.6 hours of total time in service and the engine had about 8,330.8 hours total time in service. On July 22, 1999, the engine was reinstalled on the airplane as a "0 Time" engine by the operator, after being serviced by an overhaul facility. On August 3, 1999, the engine was disassembled, and new or overhauled components were installed on the engine. The engine was reassembled and installed on the airplane. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated about 76.6 hours. On September 2, 1999, a 100-ho ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4830S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4830S-2000-05-10), registration cancelled 2000-05-10, S/N 32-1261 (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: 32-1261 - Airframe hours: 3092 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: New England Airlines Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 2, 1999, 11 hours before - Departed: WST - Destination: BID, BLOCK ISLAND, RI - Airport: WST, Westerly State Airport, runway 7, 4,010 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 5,259 total, 202 in this make and model, 4,010 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,700 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: WST ## 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 19990905042529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990905042529A), Sep 5, 1999: Piper PA32260, Westerly, RI, Substantial damage, 3 fatal. (.4)According to a passenger, the airplane departed normally but seemed 'very shaky.' As the airplane climbed, it began to slowly turn to the right, and the… ## Other investigations on N4830S (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 DEN84LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN84LA058), Dec 31, 1983: Piper PA-32-260 (N4830S), Ekalaka, MT, 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.