Plane Crash List

Piper PA-28-181 N8121K

12 August 1996 · West Kingston, Rhode Island, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 12 August 1996 at about 00:20 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N8121K was involved in an accident near West Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:20
Classification
Accident
Location
West Kingston, Rhode Island, United States
Nearest airport
Richmond (RI04)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-181
Registration
N8121K
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Pawtucket → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Dusk
NTSB number
NYC96LA165

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 0 0 0 3

Probable cause

the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed during the approach to land, and his failure to go around while there was still sufficient runway remaining, which resulted in an overrun of the runway and collision with trees. The lack of natural lighting at dusk was a related factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane overran the runway during landing, and collided with trees. The pilot reported: 'I arrived overhead (the airport) about 2000 edt. By this time it was almost dark. I made about 4 or 5 passes, being high on each pass. Trees at the approach end of the runway made it difficult, as I couldn't see the top of the trees to judge my height relative to the end of the runway. On the last pass, I dropped it in almost halfway down the runway. It became obvious I was not going to stop in time, and it was too late for an (aborted landing). Knowing there was a precipitous drop at the end of the (runway), I veered to the left, hoping the soft earth would slow me to a stop. I hit the soft earth, and lost control, and ran into the trees.' No mechanical malfunction was reported by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Apr 1996 Piper PA-28
N8873J
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
8 Aug 1996 Piper PA-28-181
N9137N
Muncie, Indiana, United States - Fatal 2
12 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N210SK
Kumamoto, Japan
no coordinates
McAs Flying Club Serious injuries -
3 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N5705U
Plymouth, California, United States - No injuries -
6 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-180
N6614J
Ely, Nevada, United States Michael E. Scholl Serious injuries -
20 Aug 1996 Piper PA-28-180
N9209J
Hartford, Michigan, United States - Fatal 1

All 9,402 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
23 Jun 1996 Cessna 172C
N1665Y
Block Island, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
James MacKinnon Serious injuries -
14 Jul 1996 McDonnell Douglas MD-11
N1768D
Westerly, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
American Airlines Serious injuries -
11 Jul 1996 Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A
N744BA
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
Business Express Airlines Serious injuries -
7 Nov 1996 Cessna 340A
N36JM
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
- Serious injuries -
6 Sep 1997 Cessna 182E
N3286Y
Smithfield, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
Boston-Providence Skydving CTR Fatal 5
26 Aug 1995 Cessna A185F
N4944E
Block Island, Rhode Island, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 4

All 170,864 records in United States