Piper PA-32-260 N4830S

Summary

On 5 September 1999 at about 15:53 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N4830S was involved in an accident near Westerly, Rhode Island, United States. 5 people were on board and 3 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 September 1999 at 15:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Westerly, Rhode Island, United States

Nearest airport

Westerly State Airport (WST)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N4830S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Block Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC99FA220

3 people died.

The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during a turn.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to a passenger, the airplane departed normally but seemed 'very shaky.' As the airplane climbed, it began to slowly turn to the right, and the pilot had a concerned look on his face as he reached up to an area where the air vents were located. The pilot then moved his right hand down to an area where the communications and navigation radios were located, and appeared to turn a dial. The pilot then immediately moved his right hand from the radio area to the yoke, gripping the yoke with both hands and turning it about 90 degrees to the left. The airplane banked to the left, descended, and impacted terrain in an open field about 200 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Witnesses recalled hearing the airplane's engine 'operating normally,' as it departed. Rotational damage was observed on both propeller blades after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.