Piper PA-28RT-201 N81529
2 May 1993 · Willimantic, Connecticut, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 2 May 1993 at about 21:45 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 registered N81529, operated by Windham Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Willimantic, Connecticut, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 21:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Willimantic, Connecticut, United States
- Nearest airport
- Windham Airport (IJD)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201
- Registration
- N81529
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Windham Aviation Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Nantucket → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- BFO93LA067
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT THE GEAR WAS LOCKED. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND THE CONSTRUCTION SITE LOCATED BESIDE THE RUNWAY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE IN CRUISE DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE LOST TOTAL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED TO ITS PLANNED DESTINATION. WHILE IN THE PATTERN, THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AT 95 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED INTO A CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS TORN AWAY FROM THE RIGHT WING STRUCTURE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT A BATTERY WIRE LEADING TO THE ALTERNATOR HAD FAILED NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. THE LANDING GEAR WAS TESTED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY GEAR LEVER MUST BE HELD IN THE DOWNWARD POSITION FOR EMERGENCY EXTENSION. THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK ALSO STATED THAT AN AIRSPEED OF 87 KNOTS SHOULD BE ATTAINED BEFORE TRYING TO EXTEND THE GEAR DURING AN EMERGENCY EXTENSION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28RT accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Nov 1993 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Ravenna, Ohio, United States | Wright Patterson AFB Aero CL | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Jan 1993 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Streator, Illinois, United States | Donald M. Perisho | No injuries | - |
| 14 Apr 1993 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Boca Raton, Florida, United States | Bairrister Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 17 May 1993 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Hancock, Maryland, United States | Indianapolis Aviation Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Oct 1992 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Ft. Riley, Kansas, United States | Walker Stone Co., Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1993 | Cessna 150L | Danielson, Connecticut, United States | Para Power Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Aug 1993 | Swearingen SA-226-TC | Hartford, Connecticut, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 9 Jun 1993 | Mooney M20J | New Haven, Connecticut, United States | David B. Wakefield | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Jun 1993 | Cessna 182 | Woodstock, Connecticut, United States | Dennis Lambert | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Nov 1993 | Quicksilver MX | Montville, Connecticut, United States | Allan Cournoyer | Fatal | 1 |
| 27 Jun 1993 | Cessna 172N | Voluntown, Connecticut, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |