Summary
On January 13, 2009, a Piper PA-32R-300 (N7918C) was involved in an accident near Manteo, NC. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to follow the missed approach procedure while landing with a low ceiling.
During a GPS approach at his destination airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-32R-300 was unable to "see the runway" at the missed approach point and then suddenly, the "runway was right there." The pilot however, had just retracted the landing gear to "go miss," so he decided to circle to land. He lined up with the runway but "got too low," and struck trees. The airplane came to rest on the porch roof of a residence. Post accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and empennage had sustained substantial damage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were discovered. The airport elevation was 14 feet above sea level (msl). The required ceiling for a straight in approach was 440 feet msl.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA09CA134. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7918C.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to follow the missed approach procedure while landing with a low ceiling.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
During a GPS approach at his destination airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-32R-300 was unable to "see the runway" at the missed approach point and then suddenly, the "runway was right there." The pilot however, had just retracted the landing gear to "go miss," so he decided to circle to land. He lined up with the runway but "got too low," and struck trees. The airplane came to rest on the porch roof of a residence. Post accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and empennage had sustained substantial damage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were discovered. The airport elevation was 14 feet above sea level (msl). The required ceiling for a straight in approach was 440 feet msl. The required ceiling for a circling approach was 600 feet msl. The ceiling at the time of the accident was 300 feet above ground level.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA134