SMITHFIELD, RI, USA
N2603G
PIPER PA-38-112
ABOUT 5 MIN AFTER THE PLT & PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A LOCAL FLT, WITNESSES NOTED A DECREASE IN ENG POWER & SAW THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DROP. THE PLANE THEN DESCENDED & CRASHED ON WOODED TERRAIN. ONE WITNESS RPRTD THAT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THE PLT WAS PRACTICING STALLS AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1000' AGL. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE BOTTOM SPARK PLUGS WERE LEAD FOULED; HOWEVER, THE TOP SPARK PLUGS WERE NORMAL IN COLOR & WEAR. ONE PROP BLADE WAS BENT WITH AN 'S' SHAPE & IT CONTAINED CHORDWISE SCRAPE MARKS; ALSO, CUT BRANCHES WERE NOTED WHERE THE ACFT ENTERED TREES DURING IMPACT. THE PLT HAD RCVD HIS PVT PLT CERT ON THE PREVIOUS DAY; HIS TOTAL FLT TIME WAS ABOUT 68 HRS. THE ACFT'S GROSS WT WAS ESTD TO HAVE BEEN ABOUT 1740 LBS; ITS MAX CERT WT WAS 1670 LBS.
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM A STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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