Piper PA 28-181 N47480

Summary

On 6 December 2015 at about 00:30 local time, a Piper PA 28-181 registered N47480, operated by IXI LLC, was involved in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 December 2015 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pontiac, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Oakland County Intl (KPTK)

Coordinates

42.6647, -83.4350

Aircraft

Piper PA 28-181

Registration

N47480

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

IXI LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Ledge → Pontiac

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN16LA055

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s operation of the airplane below the glideslope and off course during a night, instrument approach, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot and pilot-rated passenger planned on conducting some practice instrument approaches. After conducting a practice approach and landing at a different airport, they departed for the flight back to the departure airport. Night instrument meteorological conditions existed, and the pilot expected to conduct an instrument approach. The tower controller cleared the airplane for the instrument approach to the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane was set up and configured for the approach and that, initially, the airplane was established on the localizer and glideslope; however, it then drifted off course. The pilot-rated passenger reported that he was looking outside the airplane as they passed the final approach fix. When he looked back inside at the instruments, he told the pilot that he was low and left of course. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and then came to rest in an open field. The accident is consistent with controlled flight into terrain due to the pilot flying the airplane below the glideslope and off course during an instrument approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.