Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Taipalsaari Finland
Friday, August 15, 2008 10:14 UTC
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On August 15, 2008 at 1014 UTC, a Piper PA-28R-200, Finland registration OH-PDY, broke up in flight while maneuvering in clouds and subsequently crashed into Lake Saimaa in Taipalsaari, Finland. The airplane was destroyed and the three persons on board, a flight instructor and two student pilots, were killed. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight originated at Kuopio Airport (EFKU), Kuopio, Finland, and was to land at Lappeenranta Airport (EFLP), Lappeenranta, Finland.
The pilot had received clearance to the Northern Training Area at Lappeenranta TMA. An eye-witness reported that an airplane had crashed into Lake Saimaa. Several persons had seen the airplane coming out of the clouds and crashing into the lake. Approximately 30 seconds to a minute after the airplane crashed, they reported seeing three large pieces descending slowly to the lake.
Weather conditions at Kuopio at the time of the accident were 1,500 scattered and light rain showers, 4,500 broken, 5 miles visibility, winds 240 degrees at 12 knots, temperature 63 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 59 degrees F, and altimeter 29.71 inches.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Finnish government. Any further information may be obtained from:
Accident Investigation Board Finland
Sornaisten rantatie 33C
FIN-00580 Helsinki
Finland
This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from, the AIB of Finland.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/15/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1014 |
| Event Time Zone | Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT |
| Event City | Taipalsaari |
| Event State | -- |
| Event Country | FINLAND |
| Zipcode of the event site | 00000 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 612609N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0231117E |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| 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 | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EFKU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | -- |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.74 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | -- |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Finnish AIB |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 4 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 6 2008 4:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Accident Investigation Board Finland |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | -- |
| NTSB Number | DEN08WA149 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Non-U.S., Non-Commercial |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | -- |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | -- |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | -- |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Kuopio |
| Operator State | UN |
| Operator Country | FI |
| Operator Zip code | 00000 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EFKU |
| Departure City | Kuopio |
| Departure State | UN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1309 |
| Departure Time Zone | UTC |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | EFLP |
| Destination City | Lappeenranta |
| Destination State | UN |
| Destination Country | FI |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 6 2008 4:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |