COLUMBIA, PA, USA
N9292J
PIPER PA-28-180
THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWERLINES AND A TREE, AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 29. THE PILOT REPORTED AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENDING RIGHT TURN DUE TO A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION. EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SCENE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE IMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE WINDS WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 16 TO 22 KNOTS. THE POWERLINES WERE ON WOODEN POLES 50 TO 60 FT AGL, AND APPROXIMATELY 400 TO 500 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH THE POWERLINES LEAVING THE TOP AND BOTTOM WIRES INTACT AND THE MIDDLE TWO WIRES BROKEN. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING. SHEARING THE WING OFF PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WIRE MARKS ON THE WING, HOWEVER, THERE WERE WIRE MARKS ON THE PROPELLER.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH AND COMPENSATE FOR THE HEADWIND. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOGNIZE HIS LOW ALTITUDE AND EXECUTE A GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
