Accident Piper PA-34-200T N82284,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45586
 
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Date:Friday 12 April 2002
Time:21:18
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA34 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-34-200T
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N82284
MSN: 34-8070220
Year of manufacture:1980
Total airframe hrs:3158 hours
Engine model:Teledyne Continental LTSIO-360-EB
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:OXFORD, CT -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Grand Strand, SC (CRE)
Destination airport:Oxford, CT (OXC)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
After obtaining weather information, the pilot departed on a long cross country flight at night in instrument meteorological conditions. Approximately 2 hours after departure, the pilot was vectored by air traffic control (ATC) to intercept the localizer for the ILS RWY 36 approach at his destination airport. The pilot acknowledged that he had intercepted the localizer, and was cleared for the approach. Subsequently, ATC terminated radar services and approved a change in radio frequency. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, and there were no further communications with him. Data extracted from a handheld GPS unit revealed that during the last 4 minutes of the flight, the airplane made a series of left and right hand turns in the vicinity of the localizer course as it descended towards the airport. However, it was never established on the localizer course. The last recorded position calculated by the GPS occurred at 2118, was at an altitude of 779 feet msl, about 2,000 feet southeast of runway 36. The published decision altitude for the approach was 972 feet msl. A witness said that the airplane flew very low over her home, and sounded like "a motorcycle going full throttle...at a steady constant rate." Another witness said that the airplane flew over his home about 40-50 feet above the trees with the engines "running correctly." He then observed the airplane's landing lights illuminate the tree tops, then the woods, before it collided with terrain. Weather at the time of the accident included wind from 200 degrees at 6 knots gusting to 15 knots, visibility 2 statute miles, ceiling 300 feet overcast, temperature 52 degrees F, and dewpoint 51 degrees F.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach procedure. Factors were the night and low ceiling conditions.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: IAD02FA043
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020501X00600&key=1

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
28-Oct-2008 00:45 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:24 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
09-Dec-2017 16:06 ASN Update Bot Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

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