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NTSB Accident and Incident Data
NTSB Identification: IAD05FA125
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 22, 2005 in West Chester, PA
Aircraft: Piper PA-32R-301, registration: N9285R
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On August 22, 2005, about 1030 eastern daylight time, N9285R, a Piper PA-32R-301, was destroyed during impact with trees and terrain, and subsequent postcrash fire, following an aborted landing at Brandywine Airport (N99), West Chester, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, which departed North Central State Airport (SFZ), Pawtucket, Rhode Island, about 0815.
Several persons near Brandywine Airport observed the airplane during the approach, attempted landing, and aborted landing.
One witness, who was working in his shop on the north side of the airport, heard the pilot report via radio when he entered the airport area. The witness subsequently heard the pilot report his position on the downwind, base, and final legs of the traffic pattern. The witness next saw the airplane about 100 yards from the threshold of runway 27, with the flaps fully extended and the landing gear retracted. He then warned the pilot, via radio, that the airplane's landing gear was not extended.
As the witness ran toward the runway, he saw the airplane's flaps drag on the runway pavement. Shortly thereafter, he heard the engine power increase. The nose of the airplane pitched down, and the propeller contacted the runway. The airplane climbed, banked left, and struck trees located about 500 feet before the departure end of the runway.
The witness then followed the path of the airplane in his vehicle. He briefly lost sight of the airplane, and when he next saw it, he observed the engine and propeller "shaking." The airplane then disappeared from his view behind trees.
The witness stated that all of the pilot's radio transmissions were "normal," and stated specifically that the pilot did not make any distress calls, nor did he request any assistance.
Another witness, who was in his hangar on the south side of the airport, stated that he heard an unusual sound and looked up to see the airplane in a steep bank turn, at an altitude of "less than double [the] height of trees." The airplane's landing gear was extended, its speed slowed, and its pitch angle increased. He heard the engine "maintaining the sound of full power," while the airplane turned to the east. The airplane continued to slow, and the pitch angle continued to increase, as the wings leveled. The airplane then descend out of his view. Moments later he heard the sounds of impact.
The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at 39 degrees, 59 minutes north latitude, 75 degrees, 34 minutes west longitude.
The airplane came to rest in a wooded area, adjacent to a reservoir, about 1/2 mile south of the airport. The initial impact point was a large tree, about 50 feet above the terrain elevation. The wreckage path was about 150 feet long, and oriented in a direction of 180 degrees magnetic. The main wreckage came to rest oriented on a 130-degree heading.
Numerous broken tree branches, and several pieces of wood cut at 45-degree angles were found along the wreckage path. Those pieces were generally about 12 inches long, and displayed black paint transfer on the cut surfaces. One cut piece was about 5 inches in diameter,
The right wing tip was lodged at the top of the initial impact tree, and the outboard most portion of the left wing came to rest about 20 feet behind the main wreckage. The left wing had separated from the fuselage at the wing root, and came to rest just behind the stabilator. The inboard portion of that wing exhibited fire damage. The left main landing gear was out of its well, and lying with the wheel toward the trailing edge of the wing. The landing gear attachment points and actuator were damaged by fire, but the locking latch was found in the down and locked position. The right wing was separated from the fuselage at the wing root, and was located immediately adjacent to the fuselage. The right main landing gear was in the down and locked position.
The nose landing gear was folded into its well. The nose landing gear actuator had separated at both attachment ends. The actuator was found in the extended position, and the actuator rod was bent 90 degrees. Further examination revealed that the nose landing gear down locking mechanism exhibited signs of impact damage.
The left wingtip navigation light was removed, and examination revealed that the light bulb filament was stretched.
The right portion of the stabilator was bent and crushed upward, and the left portion was fire damaged. The vertical stabilizer was crushed on the left side, and the rudder was intact.
The fuselage was fire damaged, and the portion of fuselage above the lower window line was consumed by fire. The cockpit and instrument panel were also consumed by fire.
The air conditioner door was found in the up and closed position.
Flight control continuity was confirmed from the stabilator, stabilator trim, rudder, and right aileron, to the main cabin area. Left aileron control continuity was established to the wing root, where the cable was separated, and broomstrawed. The flight control cables were also attached to the stabilator control "t-bar," the rudder bar, and the aileron control chain.
The flap actuator jackscrew displayed 2 threads, and the flap torque tube brackets measured 6 inches from the boltholes to the fuselage. These measurements were consistent with a 40-degree flap setting.
Both flaps were separated from their respective wing attachment points, and the left flap exhibited fire damage. The inboard trailing edge portion of both flaps, and the bottom of the cabin entry step, exhibited longitudinal scratching and gouging.
All three propeller blades were curled and gouged at the blade tips, consistent with ground contact.
The engine was largely intact and damaged by fire. The crankshaft was rotated by the propeller, which remained attached. Continuity was confirmed from the propeller flange to the rear gears, and to the valvetrain. Compression was observed on all cylinders using the thumb method. Bore scope examination of all cylinders revealed no anomalies.
The magnetos were fire damaged and could not be rotated. All six top spark plugs were removed. Their electrodes were intact and dark gray in color.
The fuel servo was removed and examined. The mixture control arm was near the full rich position, and the throttle was near the fully open position. The fuel servo inlet screen was free from obstruction. The fuel manifold valve diaphragm was intact, and the fuel manifold valve and all six fuel injector nozzles were absent of debris. The fuel pump was fire damaged and could not be examined.
The oil filter element was charred, and no metal particles were observed.
Brandywine Airport was comprised of a single 3,347 by 50-foot runway oriented in a 09/27 configuration.
An employee of the airport fixed base operator witnessed the aborted landing, and outlined the area where the propeller had struck the runway. Examination of the area revealed uniformly spaced, parallel pavement abrasions, about 8 inches in length. The markings began about 870 feet from the runway 27 threshold, and continued for about 150 feet along the centerline of the runway.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued on April 5, 2001, with the limitation of "MUST WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES." On that date the pilot reported 6,000 total hours of flight experience.
The accident airplane was a 1997 Piper PA-32R-301. The most recent annual inspection was completed October 1, 2004. At that time the airplane had accrued 486 total hours of flight time.
The weather reported at Pottstown Limerick Airport (PTW), about 15 nautical miles north, at 1054, included variable winds at 4 knots, clear skies below 12,000 feet, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 79 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.89 inches of mercury.
The wreckage was released to an aircraft recovery facility on August 24, 2005.
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