Piper PA-46-310P N234DM
12 July 1996 · Hartford, Connecticut, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 12 July 1996 at about 15:15 local time, a Piper PA-46-310P registered N234DM was involved in an accident near Hartford, Connecticut, United States. 6 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hartford, Connecticut, United States
- Nearest airport
- Hartford-Brainard (HFD)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P
- Registration
- N234DM
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Block Island
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- IAD96LA115
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and his failure to attain the proper lift-off airspeed, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain (river).
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he performed a rolling takeoff from the 2315 ft runway. He said that as soon as the airplane broke ground on the takeoff roll, he experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot said that he retracted the gear to help clear a 42 ft dike at the departure end of the runway. Also, he reported that after clearing the dike, he turned gradually to the left, and the left wing stalled. Two witnesses reported hearing loud, steady sounds from the airplane's engine and propeller. They said they saw the airplane in a high nose-up attitude, and watched the airplane descend behind the dike. The engine could be heard until the airplane contacted the river. During an operational check after the accident, the engine performed at recommended levels. According to performance data provided by the FAA, at the given takeoff weight, with a zero degree flap setting, the airplane required 2850 feet of runway to clear a 50 ft obstacle. The charts were based on full power before brake release.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-46 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 1996 | Piper PA-46-350P | Peachtree City, Georgia, United States | Toki Leasing Corp | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Feb 1996 | Piper PA-46-350P | Butler, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1996 | Piper PA-46-350P | Bedminster, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 1996 | Piper PA-46 | Red Oak, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 1996 | Piper PA-46-310P | Redlands, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 1996 | Piper PA-46 | Zambia | J. Schwarz & Partners | Fatal | 5 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jul 1996 | Mooney M20M | Hartford, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 May 1996 | Cessna P210N | Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 24 May 1996 | Beechcraft A36 | Meriden, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 1996 | Dickmann PITTS S-1 | Meriden, Connecticut, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Feb 1996 | Piper PA-32-300 | Stratford, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Feb 1996 | Cessna 172M | Warehouse Point, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |