On March 31, 2007, a Navion A (registration N4047K) operated by James Grenier was involved in an aviation accident near Marlboro, MA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath to the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Navion A struck two rows of trees and then impacted the ground during the final approach for landing. The pilot applied power after crossing the first row but encountered a greater than anticipated sink rate.
Accident Summary
A Navion A airplane was involved in an accident during the landing approach. The pilot reported that there was minimal turbulence or crosswind when entering the airport traffic pattern. The airplane's handling and performance were normal throughout the flight.
Sequence of Events
After completing the before-landing checks, the pilot aligned the airplane on the final leg of the approach. The pilot anticipated that the airplane would experience lifting and sinking effects as it crossed two rows of trees located prior to the landing threshold. After crossing the first row of trees, the pilot applied power. However, the sink rate was greater than anticipated. The airplane subsequently struck the second row of trees and then impacted the ground.