Piper PA-28R-200 N4982S

Summary

On 6 September 1997 at about 00:39 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N4982S, operated by Burnell D. Simpson II, was involved in an accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was 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.

Date

6 September 1997 at 00:39

Classification

Accident

Location

West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Brandywine (N99)

Coordinates

39.9898, -75.5999

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N4982S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Burnell D. Simpson II

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbus → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC97LA179

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance to the runway, which resulted in an undershoot and failure to reach the proper touchdown point. Rising terrain at the approach end of the runway was a related factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a night visual approach to a 3,000 foot runway. He reported that just before touchdown, the runway lights disappeared. Power was added for a go-around, but the airplane struck rising terrain short of the runway. An FAA inspector reported that the airplane touched down about 30 feet before the end of the runway and 5 feet below the level of the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.