Piper PA-28-180 N3751R

Summary

On 5 September 1992 at about 04:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N3751R, operated by Windham Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Windham, Connecticut, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 September 1992 at 04:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Windham, Connecticut, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N3751R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Windham Aviation Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Block Island → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO92LA123

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INEXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ON HIS SECOND TRY AT EXECUTING THE LOCALIZER 27 APPROACH AT WINDHAM AIRPORT (ELEVATION; 247 FEET). HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH ON THE FIRST TRY, SO HE DID A MISSED APPROACH. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON HIS SECOND TRY HE CROSSED THE FINAL APPROACH FIX AT THE PUBLISHED ALTITUDE AND THEN DESCENDED TO THE MINIMINUM DESCENT ALTITUDE: 1020 FEET. AT 1100 FEET, HE ASKED THE PASSENGER TO LOOK FOR GROUND LIGHTS. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE AIRPLANE CRASHED WHEN IT STRUCK TREES. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ON THE LOCALIZER COURSE INBOUND, 3.8 DME MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, INCLUDING THE ALTIMETER, DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD 29 HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT TIME AND 3 HOURS OF ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME. HE OBTAINED AN INSTRUMENT RATING JUST OVER A MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.