Piper PA-28R-180 N3102R

Summary

On 18 September 1997 at about 09:35 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N3102R was involved in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 1997 at 09:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Danbury, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Danbury Muni (DXR)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N3102R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fairmont

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

IAD97LA120

3 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's improper planning/decision to not use actual occupant weights and compute takeoff data, which resulted in an overweight takeoff towards rising terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that during initial climb the engine lost power, and they crashed into trees. Examination of the airplane did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction with the engine or the airplane. The three passengers said they did not see the pilot complete a weight and balance, neither did he ask them what their weights were, nor did he weigh their baggage. When their actual weights and baggage were computed, the airplane was 233 pounds over its maximum takeoff gross weight 2,500 pounds. One of the occupants said that he heard the stall warning horn just before the airplane struck the trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.