N600DK

Substantial
Serious

PIPER PA-32-300S/N: 32-7340167

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, June 26, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA11CA365
Location
Bridgeport, CT
Event ID
20110627X74140
Coordinates
41.158054, -73.122222
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
2
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a blast fence on final approach to land.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N600DK
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
32-7340167
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1973
Model / ICAO
PA-32-300PA32
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
180 BROOKLAWN AVENUE LLC
Address
208 BROOKLAWN AVE
Status
Deregistered
City
BRIDGEPORT
State / Zip Code
CT 06604-2012
Country
United States

Analysis

The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to regain night currency which had lapsed two weeks prior. The pilot stated that he intended to fly three landing pattern approaches and perform three full stop landings. According to the pilot, the take off, and initial climb out to a left downwind were normal. The pilot also reported that there was a slight haze in the vicinity of the airport. While turning to the base leg of the approach, the pilot trimmed the aircraft for 90 miles per hour (mph) and lowered the flaps down to the "first notch." The pilot reported the he saw "two white lights" on the Vertical Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) which indicated that he was above glide-slope so he adjusted the trim to maintain 80 mph and lowered the flaps down to the "third notch." The airplane's left wing impacted a 12-foot-tall blast fence, which was located 20 feet from the end of the runway resulting in the separation of the left wing from the fuselage. The VASI was set for a 3 degrees glide-path and the threshold of the runway was displaced 319 feet. After the accident, the pilot stated that the blast fence was indistinguishable from the runway threshold markings. The blast fence was properly marked with red and white checker markings on the interior side and was not required to be lit by federal aviation administration facility requirements. The pilot was familiar with the airport.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA365