Piper PA-22 N913A

Summary

On 16 January 1996 at about 22:20 local time, a Piper PA-22 registered N913A, operated by Radcliffe R. Daly, was involved in an accident near Auburn, Maine, 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.

Date

16 January 1996 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn-Lewiston Muni (LEW)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-22

Registration

N913A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Radcliffe R. Daly

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Presque Isle → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC96LA051

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper planning/decision and failure to attain proper alignment with the landing area. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the inoperative radio transmitter, which precluded the pilot from activating the runway lights.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After departing without a weather briefing, the pilot contacted flight service for an en route briefing. Due to stronger-than-planned-for headwinds and deviations around snow showers, he arrived at his destination with insufficient fuel to fly to an alternate airport. The pilot believed that the deteriorating weather precluded further flight. He was unable to activate the runway lights with either the airplane radio or a hand held backup radio. The pilot aligned the airplane with two sets of obstruction lights, which he thought were the approach and departure ends of runway 22. The far set of lights was in-fact at an obstruction located to the left of the departure end of runway 22. After touchdown at an angle to the runway, the airplane struck a snowbank. It then rolled onto the right wing and came to rest on its nose. The FAA reported that the airplane radio had a loose connection, and the hand-held radio lacked sufficient power to activate the runway lights.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.