Piper PA-32R N8540F

Summary

On 27 March 2000 at about 14:23 local time, a Piper PA-32R registered N8540F was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, 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

27 March 2000 at 14:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Fairbanks International (PAFA)

Coordinates

64.9000, -148.1592

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R

Registration

N8540F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Beaver

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC00LA038

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude, and subsequent undershoot during landing. Factors in the accident were light snow precipitation, flat light conditions, snow-covered terrain, and the absence of a visual approach slope indicator.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot obtained a Special VFR clearance and departed on the first portion of a cargo flight. The visibility at the airport was 2 1/2 miles in light snow. After departure, the pilot said the sky condition worsened, becoming more obscured and indefinite. He decided to return to the airport and obtained a Special VFR clearance back to the airport. He was cleared to land on a runway which does not have a visual approach slope indicator (VASI). During the landing approach, the pilot said he could see the approach end of the runway, but the lighting conditions were very flat. The airplane collided with snow-covered terrain, about 25 yards short of the approach end of the runway. The landing gear was sheared off, and the airplane received damage to the engine cowling, belly structure, and wing spars.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.