Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
North Central State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Smithfield, Rhode Island 02917
Monday, November 17, 2008 17:03 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane approached the airport in night visual meteorological conditions, with an instrument-rated private pilot and a private-pilot-rated passenger. The pilot received clearance for a practice very-high-omnidirectional-range/global-positioning-system approach. At 1,900 feet mean sea level (msl) and prior to the final approach fix (FAF), the pilot was cleared for the practice approach and a frequency change was approved. There was no further communication with the accident flight. Radar data showed the accident flight on a ground track associated with the approach and in a steady descent from the FAF to 500 feet msl, or 80 feet above ground level (agl) and near the first tree strike. The accident occurred approximately 2/3 mile from the threshold of runway 33. The airplane was on the correct ground track for the approach when it initially struck trees approximately 80 feet agl. The minimum descent altitude for the approach was 980 feet msl, or 539 feet agl. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical discrepancies were found with the airframe or engine that would have prevented a successful completion of the approach. Recorded weather conditions at the airport near the time of the accident included a broken cloud layer at 8,000 feet, surface visibility 10 statute miles, and a surface wind from the northwest at 6 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper descent below the published minimum descent altitude during the approach, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/17/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1703 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Smithfield |
| Event State | RHODE ISLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02917 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415420N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0712908W |
| Event Location Airport | North Central State |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SFZ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 441 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1715 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 359 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SFZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 441 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| 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) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| 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) | 25613 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA New England Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 23 2009 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2316P |
| NTSB Number | ERA09FA060 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-38-112 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 38-79A0942 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 10 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert A. Zoglio Jr. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wyoming |
| Aircraft Owner State | RI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02898 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Robert A. Zoglio Jr. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Wyoming |
| Operator State | RI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 02898 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVD |
| Departure City | Providence |
| Departure State | RI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1654 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SFZ |
| Destination City | Smithfield |
| Destination State | RI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 23 2009 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 3210 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |