Piper PA-32RT-300 N607JW

Summary

On 21 September 2002 at about 14:15 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300 registered N607JW was involved in an accident near St. Simons Island, Georgia, United States. 2 people were 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

21 September 2002 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Simons Island, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Saint Simons Island (SSI)

Coordinates

31.1551, -81.3871

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT-300

Registration

N607JW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brunswick → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL02LA173

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a simulated emergency landing, and his delayed remedial action that resulted in a stall, and an uncontrolled collision with trees. A factor was the check pilot's inadaquate supervision of the check ride.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he was taking a check-ride for his certified flight instructor's rating in single engine airplanes. He and the check pilot had completed several flight maneuvers and were conducting a simulated 180-degree power-off landing. The simulated maneuver was established for runway 04; the engine was operating at reduced power. The pilot recalled that approximately three quarters through the turn, the airspeed got slow and the sink rate increased. At approximately the same time, witnesses on the ground noticed that thee airplane had overshoot the final approach course for the runway. The pilot applied power to arrest the sink rate and to reestablish the final approach course. When the check pilot elected to take control of the airplane, he realized that there was not enough altitude to complete the recovery. Witnesses on the ground also observed the airplane as it collided with tops of tree short of the runway. One witness reported that the nose of the airplane pitched up and the pilot recalled that the left wing fell and the airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude. The airplane came to rest about 60 feet short of the runway surface and burst into flames. Neither pilot reported a mechanical problem with the airplane during the simulated emergency.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.