Piper PA32 N8213X

Summary

On 20 September 2020 at about 14:57 local time, a Piper PA32 registered N8213X, operated by Jerral A. Long, was involved in an accident near Kokomo, Indiana, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 September 2020 at 14:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Kokomo, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Glenndale Airport (8I3)

Coordinates

40.5293, -86.1708

Aircraft

Piper PA32

Registration

N8213X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Jerral A. Long

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kokomo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA401

3 people died.

The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with a utility pole and the subsequent collision with terrain.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane owner reported that the accident pilot had volunteered to fly the airplane in support of a charity fundraising event. It was the pilot’s first flight of the day. The accident pilot was a local pilot and had flown the airplane for the event the entire day prior with no issues, so he was familiar with the airport’s approach. A witness reported that the airplane appeared low on the approach. He noted the flaps were extended and the engine was running. Then the airplane’s nose-gear and the right main landing gear “clipped” a utility pole. The airplane subsequently impacted in a cornfield and immediately caught fire. The witness added that it did not appear the airplane tried to climb to avoid the power lines before striking the utility pole. The airplane struck the tops of a 79 ft wood power pole and a 61 ft wood dual pole utility tower on the approach to runway 18 about 875 ft north of the approach end of runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident is consistent with the pilot’s failure to see the utility poles while on the approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.