Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Westerly Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Westerly, Rhode Island 02891
Sunday, November 16, 2003 13:30 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot of the Piper, when he arrived in the airport area, a landing attempt was made to the runway; however, because he was to high on the approach, the pilot elected to abort the landing. The pilot remained in the left-hand traffic pattern, and announced all of his positions on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF). The pilot added that trees obscured the threshold portion of the runway, and the taxiway leading to the runway as he flew the left-hand traffic pattern. Upon turning final approach to land the second time, the pilot observed a tail-wheeled airplane "about to get onto runway 32." The airplane remained on the runway, and the pilot thought it would remain there until after he landed. The pilot continued the approach, and soon after he passed over the runway threshold, he heard the sound of another airplane's engine, followed by an impact with the airplane. The pilot observed the other airplane descend towards the ground, as he performed a forced landing to the runway. The Piper touched down hard on the runway, collapsing the right main landing gear assembly, and came to rest upright on a taxiway. The Cessna came to rest in a nose down attitude off to the right side of the runway. The pilot of the Piper did not recall hearing the Cessna make any transmissions on the CTAF frequency, but did recall hearing other aircraft make transmissions. Examination of the approach end area of the runway revealed trees, which paralleled the taxiway leading up to runway 32, visually obscured aircraft flying left-hand traffic patterns for the runway. Traffic in the air was not visible to an individual facing southeast until the traffic turned onto final approach. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual, paragraph 4-1-9. Traffic Advisory Practices at Airports Without Operating Control Towers, "Pilots of departing aircraft should monitor/communicate on the appropriate frequency from start-up, during taxi, and until 10 miles from the airport..." According to Federal Aviation Regulations Part 91.113, Right-of-way rules, "Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface...
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The Piper pilot's improper decision to continue a landing on an occupied runway, which resulted in an in-flight collision with the departing Cessna. Factors related to the accident were the departing Cessna pilot's inattentive radio communications, and the obscured visibility of the traffic pattern from the air and ground by trees located at the departure end of the runway.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/16/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Westerly |
| Event State | RHODE ISLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02891 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412802N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0714807W |
| Event Location Airport | Westerly Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | WST |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 81 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | WST |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 81 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.21 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17472 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NERCC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 16 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1440 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 30 2005 6:20AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Lexington, MA |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N34AG | N2885D |
| NTSB Number | NYC04FA033A | NYC04FA033B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No | No |
| Damage | Substantial | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | 180 | PA-28-181 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32561 | 28-7990520 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 | 2500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- | Nov 14 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | -- | 2567 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Hardy F. Lebel | Windham Aviation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Westerly | Windham |
| Aircraft Owner State | RI | CT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02891 | 06226 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | -- | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | -- | -- |
| Operator State | -- | -- |
| Operator Country | -- | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- | -- |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | No |
| Departure Airport Code | WST | IJD |
| Departure City | Westerly | Windham |
| Departure State | RI | CT |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- | WST |
| Destination City | -- | Westerly |
| Destination State | -- | RI |
| Destination Country | -- | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 32 | 32 |
| Runway Length | 3960 | 3960 |
| Runway Width | 75 | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |