Piper PA-32-260 N1563X

Summary

On 9 February 2004 at about 00:45 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N1563X, operated by David Prewitt, was involved in an accident near Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 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.

Date

9 February 2004 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Perkiomen Valley Airport (N10)

Coordinates

40.2039, -75.4300

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N1563X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

David Prewitt

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Florence → Collegeville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC04LA071

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during approach to the runway. Factors in the accident were the dark night and snowbank.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on final approach at night, the airplane's right wing struck one or more limbs of a tree. The pilot continued toward the runway and struck a snowbank 100 feet prior to the runway threshold, sheering off the right landing gear. The pilot applied power, continued to fly down the runway to observe further obstructions, and then returned to land on the departure end of the runway. As the airplane touched down, it swerved off the right side of the runway, and came to rest in the grass. According to the Northeast U.S. Airport Facility Directory, a "tree" notation is listed for runway 27 at N10.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.