On April 2, 1993, a Piper PA-30 (registration N8210Y) operated by Widner, Edward D. was involved in an aviation accident near Eckert, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to continue an approach that was too low, resulting in the aircraft striking a vehicle positioned at the end of the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft struck a pickup truck guiding it to an unlighted strip during a low approach, injuring a child and forcing a wheels-up landing.
What happened
The incident occurred at a private airfield that lacked runway lighting. To assist the pilot in locating the end of the runway, a pickup truck was positioned with its headlights illuminated. The pilot reported being too low on the final approach segment. During this phase, the nose gear of the aircraft struck the top of the truck's cab. Three children and one adult were occupants of the vehicle at the time of impact.
Findings
The collision resulted in serious head injuries to a four-year-old child who was seated in the truck. Following the impact with the ground vehicle, the airplane continued forward and executed a wheels-up landing on the runway surface. The mechanical failure was limited to the nose gear assembly due to the contact with the truck.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to continue an approach that was too low, resulting in the aircraft striking a vehicle positioned at the end of the runway.