Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Exton, Pennsylvania 19341
Tuesady, July 27, 2004 9:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness observed the airplane takeoff, and approximately 50 feet above the runway, it disappeared into the clouds. The witness reported that the weather was "foggy and rainy," and he could not see the trees on the opposite side of the runway. Radar data indicated that the airplane departed to the east/northeast and climbed to 4,000 feet. Approximately 30 seconds later, the airplane began a right 360-degree turn, descending slightly. The target then stopped its descent briefly, while continuing a right turn, and returned to 4,000 feet. Seconds later, the target descended through 2,500 feet. A witness observed the airplane in a "very steep angle, almost straight up and down," flying in between two homes on her street. The witness described the engine sound as "revving," or as if someone were "accelerating and decelerating." The airplane impacted the roof of a residence, and scattered debris across a street, coming to rest in the yard of a second residence. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed he had accumulated 560 hours of total flight experience, 11.9 hours of actual instrument time, and 114 hours of simulated instrument time. He received his instrument rating 7 months prior to the accident. According to Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 61.57(c), Instrument Experience, "no person may act as pilot in command under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR, unless within the preceding 6 calendar months, that person has: performed and logged under actual or simulated instrument conditions, (i) at least six instrument approaches, (ii) holding procedures; and (iii) intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigation systems." During the 6 months prior to the accident, the pilot performed 4 approaches, and accumulated 4.5 hours of actual instrument flight time.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the airplane impacting a residence. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of recent instrument experience.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/27/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Exton |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19341 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400300N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0753608W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 919 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PTW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 309 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18643 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 27 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2005 6:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Philadelphia FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N91075 |
| NTSB Number | NYC04FA179 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-181 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8690021 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1653 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Thomas McKinnis |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Broughton |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 62817 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 40N |
| Departure City | Coatesville |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 920 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PWM |
| Destination City | Portland |
| Destination State | ME |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2005 8:25AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |