N8133Z

On August 25, 2000, about 2345 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-32-300, N8133Z, was destroyed during a post crash fire after landing at the Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), Nantucket, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed en route for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he had been awake for most of the day. Prior to the flight, a vehicle struck the pilot's wife while she crossed a street. The pilot's wife was medically treated and released from the hospital. She and the pilot then proceeded to the Selinsgrove Airport (SEG), Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. About 2115, the pilot and his wife departed SEG on a visual flight rules flight plan and proceeded eastbound. As the airplane neared Nantucket, the pilot could see the entire island and airport, but filed an IFR flight plan with the Bridgeport Flight Service Station due to the "widely scattered, low, ground fog" in the area.

The pilot received an IFR clearance and was issued the Runway 24 ILS approach. While on the approach, the pilot noticed that there was a patch of ground fog around the approach lights, but the entire runway surface and lights were visible. He then "descended early" and the right main landing gear struck an approach light stanchion, shearing the gear assembly off.

The airplane touched down on the runway, slid about 200 feet and came to rest. The pilot attempted to contact Boston Center to advise them of the accident, but was not successful. An odor of fuel became present and the occupants exited the airplane. A fire ensued and the pilot went in search for help and to cancel his IFR flight plan.

The Federal Aviation Administration performed a flight inspection of the instrument landing system on August 26, 2000. The instrument landing system facility was "found satisfactory." The high intensity runway lighting, touchdown zone lighting, centerline lighting, and pilot control lighting, were also "found satisfactory." The approach lighting system could not be tested due to damage from the accident.

The ACK weather, at 2336 was, winds from 280 at 3 knots, 1/4-mile visibility, fog, vertical visibility 100 feet, and a temperature and dew point of 59 degrees Fahrenheit.