Piper PA-28R-200 N2611R

Summary

On 8 December 2011 at about 23:57 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N2611R was involved in an accident near Coupeville, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 December 2011 at 23:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Coupeville, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.1833, -122.6333

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N2611R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oak Harbor → Oak Harbor

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12FA058

1 person died.

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses located adjacent to the accident site reported observing the accident airplane approaching their position at a low altitude while over water and that it appeared as if the pilot were attempting to land in an open prairie located at the top of a cliff. The witnesses stated that as the airplane moved closer, they did not hear the engine as the airplane impacted a bluff just below a ridgeline and a postimpact fire ensued. One witness stated that it appeared the propeller was windmilling before impact with terrain. First responders extinguished the fire with an unspecified amount of water from a fire truck. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. However, during the postaccident examination, evidence of water was located within the airframe fuel filter and engine fuel flow divider. Due to the damage sustained to the airframe and engine, it could not be determined if the water was introduced into the system during postaccident firefighting efforts or from another source.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.