ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 44769
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 July 2004 |
| Time: | 09:30 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-181 Archer |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N91075 |
| MSN: | 28-8690021 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1985 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1653 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Exton , PA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Chester County G.O. Carlson Airport, PA (40N) |
| Portland Airport, ME (PWM/KPWM) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On July 27, 2004, at 0930 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N91075, was substantially damaged when it impacted a residence in Exton, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the Chester County G.O. Carlson Airport (40N), Coatesville, Pennsylvania, to the Portland International Airport (PWM), Portland, Maine. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
A witness observed the airplane takeoff, and approximately 50 feet above the runway, it disappeared into the clouds. The witness reported that the weather was "foggy and rainy," and he could not see the trees on the opposite side of the runway. Radar data indicated that the airplane departed to the east/northeast and climbed to 4,000 feet. Approximately 30 seconds later, the airplane began a right 360-degree turn, descending slightly. The target then stopped its descent briefly, while continuing a right turn, and returned to 4,000 feet. Seconds later, the target descended through 2,500 feet. A witness observed the airplane in a "very steep angle, almost straight up and down," flying in between two homes on her street. The witness described the engine sound as "revving," or as if someone were "accelerating and decelerating." The airplane impacted the roof of a residence, and scattered debris across a street, coming to rest in the yard of a second residence. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed he had accumulated 560 hours of total flight experience, 11.9 hours of actual instrument time, and 114 hours of simulated instrument time. He received his instrument rating 7 months prior to the accident. According to Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 61.57(c), Instrument Experience, "no person may act as pilot in command under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR, unless within the preceding 6 calendar months, that person has: performed and logged under actual or simulated instrument conditions, (i) at least six instrument approaches, (ii) holding procedures; and (iii) intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigation systems." During the 6 months prior to the accident, the pilot performed 4 approaches, and accumulated 4.5 hours of actual instrument flight time.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the airplane impacting a residence. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of recent instrument experience.
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20040806X01156&key=1
Accident investigation:
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Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 07-Dec-2017 18:15 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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