Piper PA-24 N5627P

Summary

On 20 January 1991 at about 00:15 local time, a Piper PA-24 registered N5627P, operated by Floyd L. Fenix, was involved in an accident near Cabool, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 January 1991 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Cabool, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Cabool (TVB)

Coordinates

37.1195, -92.1006

Aircraft

Piper PA-24

Registration

N5627P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Floyd L. Fenix

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vichy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI91LA074

1 person was seriously injured.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING A GO-AROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANDING GEAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER CIRCLING THE AIRPORT, TO DETERMINE RUNWAY USE ON A DARK NIGHT, HE LOWERED THE GEAR AND PREPARED TO LAND. HE NOTICED ON FINAL APPROACH, THE LANDING GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED PROPERLY AND ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE IF THE GEAR WAS IN THE SAFE POSITION. HE SAW THE LIGHTED WIND TEE GO BY, ABOUT MID-FIELD, DURING FINAL APPROACH AND DECIDED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO LAND SO ELECTED TO MAKE A GO AROUND. HE SAID THAT HE MUST HAVE INADVERTENTLY SHUT THE PANEL LIGHTS OFF, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY BRIGHTENS UP THE GEAR POSITION LIGHTS. HE ATTEMPTED TO REACH A FLASHLIGHT IN THE COCKPIT, BUT UNKNOWINGLY BANKED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH SOME TREES, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT WAS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY DIM THE GEAR POSITION LIGHTS WHEN THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, TO REDUCE COCKPIT GLARE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.