Piper PA 28-161 N82587

Summary

On 16 August 2015 at about 13:06 local time, a Piper PA 28-161 registered N82587, operated by Dulles Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Bristow, Virginia, United States. One person was 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

16 August 2015 at 13:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Bristow, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Manassas Regional Airport (HEF)

Coordinates

38.7439, -77.5492

Aircraft

Piper PA 28-161

Registration

N82587

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Dulles Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manassas → Manassas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA315

1 person was seriously injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during approach, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the student’s distraction due to other traffic in the airport traffic pattern.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was conducting a solo flight and stated that, while on approach for landing, she had just reduced engine power when the tower controller asked her to extend the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern due to other traffic. She subsequently became distracted looking for the other traffic and did not increase engine power to maintain altitude. The controller then instructed her to turn onto the base leg and she complied; however, the airplane continued to descend and collided with trees before coming to rest upright on the ground. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the student pilot report any.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.