# NTSB WPR21LA174: Piper PA-28-180, N222BM, Silver City, NM, April 12, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 11, 2021, 20:40 local (Apr 12, 2021, 02:40 UTC) - Place: Silver City, NM - Coordinates: 32.636547, -108.15638 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6365&lon=-108.1564&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 102965 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA174 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102965/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA174 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of situational awareness and failure to touchdown on the runway which resulted in a collision with the airport’s perimeter fence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md) - [Perception/orientation/illusion: situational awareness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, he became disoriented during a day visual flight rules (VFR), cross-country flight. After a nearly five-hour flight in search of his destination airport, he saw an airport and landed. After a brief conversation on the ground with witnesses, he refueled the airplane and departed in search of his original destination airport. Unable to locate his desired airport and five hours later as the day had turned to night, he spotted an airport and initiated an approach to the east. During the night VFR approach, the engine lost power, but the pilot switched fuel tanks and completed an engine restart inflight. However, the airplane did not touch down on airport property. The airplane landed outside of the airport’s southern perimeter fence, near Airport Road and the southeast airport access gate. The airplane impacted the airport’s perimeter fence and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the left wing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N222BM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N222BM-2022-07-30), registration cancelled 2022-07-30, S/N 28-3231, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-3231 - Year built: 1966 - Engines: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: SAD, Safford, AZ - Destination: TYL, Taylor, AZ - Airport: SVC, Grant County, runway 08/26, 6,802 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 81; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 500 total, 1 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 340° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: KSVC, 1 nm away - METAR: KSVC 120235Z AUTO 32009KT 10SM CLR 16/M11 A2986 RMK AO2 T01571115 ## 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 20210411004529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210411004529A), Apr 11, 2021: Piper PA-28-180, Silver City, NM, Substantial damage. On April 11, 2021, at 2040 MDT, N222BM, a Piper PA-28-180 cherokee, single engine airplane, [privacy data omitted], impacted an airport boundary fence while… 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.