Accident Piper PA-28-180 N3954R,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 368311
 
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Date:Saturday 29 July 1989
Time:17:40 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-180
Owner/operator:Whyte, Edna G.
Registration: N3954R
MSN: 28-7105059
Engine model:LYCOMING O-360-A3A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Watertown, WI -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Sedalia, MO (KDMO)
Destination airport:(KRYV)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
DRG THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE WET RWY & WENT THRU A FENCE & DITCH BEFORE COMING TO A STOP ON A ROADWAY. THE WX CONDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT WERE DESCRIBED AS 'MUCKY,' WITH LOW CEILINGS (200' TO 400'), LOW VISIBILITIES (1 TO 1-1/2 MI), & A STEADY RAIN. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE ACFT ON SHORT FINAL APCH FOR THE RWY, RPRTD THAT IT APPEARED TO BE TOO FAST. HE ESTIMATED THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN APRX 600' FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 4000' RWY. THE 63 YR OLD VFR PLT & THE 86 YR OLD ACFT OWNER TOLD WITNESSES THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO GO AROUND. AN INSPN OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED ABOUT 5 GAL OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, WHILE THE RIGHT TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY. THE ACFT OWNER/RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER WAS ALSO A RATED PLT, BUT SHE HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY IN LATE 1988 & NO LONGER HELD A VALID MED CERT. APRX 39 MI ESE AT MILWAUKEE, THE 1650 CDT WX WAS IN PART: PARTIAL OBSCURATION, 3500' BROKEN, VISIBILITY 1.5 MI HAZE & LIGHT RAIN, WIND 070 DEG AT 8 KTS.

Probable Cause: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY TO MAKE A GO-AROUND, WET RUNWAY WITH HYDROPLANING CONDITIONS, THE FENCE, THE DITCH, AND THE ROADWAY.

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI89LA152
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 11 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CHI89LA152

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
23-Mar-2024 17:06 ASN Update Bot Added

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