ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45050
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 12 October 2003 |
| Time: | 19:05 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N5320L |
| MSN: | 28-4623 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1968 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Delaware Airpark (33N), Cheswold, DE -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Hazleton Airport, PA (HZL/KHZL) |
| Delaware Airpark, DE (33N) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On October 12, 2003, at 1905 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N5320L, was substantially damaged while landing at the Delaware Airpark (33N), Cheswold, Delaware. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured, and a passenger was seriously injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from the Hazelton Municipal Airport (HZL), Hazelton, Pennsylvania. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane arrived in the airport area after a night cross-country flight. On final approach to the runway, the passenger noticed off to her right that a tree was above them, and subsequently felt a bump. She then observed power lines, saw a bright flash, and did not recall anything further. The airplane struck an unlit 56-foot high utility pole at the 46-foot level, which was located approximately 940 feet prior to the runway threshold, and came to rest in a vertical position. A NOTAM was issued about two weeks prior to the accident, to inform pilots of an unlit 75-foot high power lines, located 1,000 feet east of runway 27. The NOTAM was in effect at the time of the accident. A printed copy of the NOTAM was posted on the airport's bulletin board. The runway was a 3,582-foot long, 60-foot wide asphalt runway, equipped with medium intensity lighting. The runway had a 350 foot displaced threshold, which was marked with white paint, and illuminated in accordance with FAA AC 150/5340-30. The runway was not equipped with a visual glideslope indicator. According to the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook regarding difficulties in perceiving altitude during night approaches, "Distance may be deceptive at night due to limited lighting conditions... A low, shallow approach is definitely inappropriate during a night operation." The calculated glideslope from the utility pole to the runway threshold was approximately 3.41 degrees. The calculated glideslope from the utility pole to the displaced runway threshold was approximately 2.49 degrees.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glide path to the runway, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an in-flight collision with an unlit utility pole. Factors related to the accident were the unlit utility pole, and the dark night conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20031016X01743&key=1
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Dec-2017 20:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation