Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Danville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Danville, Virginia 24543
Thursday, August 29, 2013 19:41 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On August 29, 2013, about 1941 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N9089N, was destroyed when it impacted an antenna and terrain adjacent to runway 2 and a postaccident fire ensued at Danville Regional Airport (DAN), Danville, Virginia, following a go-around maneuver. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local solo flight. The training flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the student pilot's flight instructor, the student pilot was flying the airport pattern on a supervised solo flight. Eyewitnesses observed the airplane attempt two landings preceding the accident landing attempt. During the first landing attempt, the airplane was seen at a very low altitude when it banked sharp left and sharp right before initiating a go-around maneuver. The airplane landed successfully during its second attempt and after making a full stop, the airplane taxied back to takeoff position and departed uneventfully. The airplane completed the airport traffic pattern; however, during landing the airplane banked to the left and struck the ILS antenna, severing the left wing from the airplane. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest inverted.
The wreckage path was about 183 feet long and oriented about 357 degrees magnetic. The initial impact location was indicated by several broken metal bars from an instrument landing system (ILS) glide slope antenna 39.5 feet above ground level. The left wing exhibited impact damage at the wing root along the leading edge section of the wing and was collocated with the ILS antenna. Ground scars, along with the propeller spinner and both blades, were located along the wreckage path about 131 feet past the ILS antenna. The main portion of the wreckage consisted of the fuselage and right wing and was located about 32 feet beyond the propeller ground scar and next to taxiway "A." The fuselage came to rest inverted and was oriented 129 degrees magnetic. Both propeller blades exhibited impact damage. One blade was slightly bent forward between the mid span point and blade tip with the blade tip bent aft and the other blade exhibited a slight forward bend. Both blades contained leading edge gouging.
According to the United States Naval Observatory, Astronomical Application Department Sun and Moon Data, the official sunset was at 1950 and the end of civil twilight was 2016.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/29/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1941 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Danville |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24543 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 363355N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0792030W |
| Event Location Airport | Danville Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DAN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 571 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DAN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 571 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 50 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 5 2013 11:46AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9089N |
| NTSB Number | ERA13FA385 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2816003 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Aug 6 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 44 |
| Airframe Hours | 3977 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GENERAL AVIATION INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | DANVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 24543 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | GENERAL AVIATION INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | DANVILLE |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 24543 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | DAN |
| Departure City | Danville |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1935 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | DAN |
| Destination City | Danville |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 5 2013 11:46AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 02 |
| Runway Length | 3238 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |