On November 19, 2012, a PIPER PA-28-180 (registration N8826J) operated by DONALD J. DEROCHER was involved in an aviation accident near Canton, CT. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while performing a night visual approach to an airport. Contributing to the accident were the dark night and the pilot's lack of recent experience flying at night. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Piper PA-28-180, N8826J, crashed into trees and terrain near Canton, Connecticut, on November 19, 2012, while on approach to Simsbury Airport. The pilot and passenger were killed during a night visual flight.
Accident Overview and Flight History On November 19, 2012, at approximately 1824 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, registration N8826J, operated by a private individual, sustained substantial damage after striking trees and terrain near Canton, Connecticut. The aircraft was on approach to Simsbury Airport (4B9) in Simsbury, Connecticut, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in night visual meteorological conditions, and no flight plan had been filed. The aircraft last departed Heritage Field Airport (PTW) in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, at about 1700. The pilot and passenger had been traveling to Connecticut to attend a funeral. Their journey began on November 18, 2012, from Suwanne County Airport (24J) in Live Oak, Florida, with an overnight stop at Orangeburg Municipal Airport (OGB) in Orangeburg, South Carolina. On November 19, the pilot departed OGB at about 1130, making fuel stops at Dinwiddie County Airport (PTB) in Petersburg, Virginia, and PTW. A fuel receipt from PTW showed the pilot received 22.5 gallons of 100LL fuel at 1636. ## Radar and ATC Communications According to air traffic control (ATC) communication transcripts and radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot contacted Yankee Terminal Approach in Windsor Lock, Connecticut, at 1810, reporting an altitude of 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and inbound to land at 4B9. The controller confirmed radar contact and advised the pilot he was 30 miles west of Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks. At 1814, the pilot again reported being at 2,500 feet and was advised to report when the destination was in sight. At 1819, the controller instructed the pilot to maintain visual flight rules (VFR) at or below 3,000 feet for traffic, and the pilot acknowledged at 2,500 feet. Around that time, the aircraft began to descend. Two minutes later, the aircraft had descended to about 1,900 feet msl, with airspeed remaining relatively constant and the aircraft headed directly toward 4B9 on a heading of about 050 degrees. At 1822, the average descent rate increased to about 1,000 feet per minute, airspeed decreased to about 108 knots, and the aircraft remained on a direct heading to 4B9. The pilot acknowledged a traffic advisory around that time. No further transmissions were received from the pilot. Radar contact was lost at 1824 at an altitude of 900 feet msl and 70 feet above ground level, about six miles southwest of 4B9, in the vicinity of Onion Mountain. ## Search and Rescue A Connecticut State Police helicopter conducted an aerial search and rescue after an Alert Notice was issued for the aircraft. Upon reaching the accident site, the helicopter pilot observed a lighted area about one mile east of the crash site. The lighted area was a large parking lot with pole lighting that stood out in the darkness. The aircraft's flight trajectory would have passed directly over the parking lot. The helicopter pilot, who was using night vision goggles, stated he was “surprised” by how dark the area around the crash site was. ## Personnel Information According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. He did not hold an instrument rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 20, 2011. According to the pilot's most recent logbook entry, dated September 12, 2012, he had a total of 962 flight hours; of those, 786 hours were in the make and model, and 128 hours were accumulated at night. The pilot had recorded about one hour of flight experience at night within the preceding year in the accident airplane. ## Aircraft Information The four-seat, low-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane was manufactured in 1965. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower engine, equipped with a Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. Review of maintenance logbooks revealed that its most recent annual inspection was completed on March 1, 2012, at 2,657 total airframe hours. The engine had accumulated approximately 2,657 total hours of operation and 708 hours since its most recent overhaul. The airplane had accumulated about 45 additional flight hours since the most recent annual inspection. ## Meteorological Information The weather conditions at BDL, at 1851, located about 10 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, included wind from 010 degrees at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and few clouds at 25,000 feet. The temperature was 2 degrees C, the dew point was -2 degrees C, and the barometric altimeter setting was 30.35 inches of mercury. Other than night-time conditions, no significant weather advisories for turbulence, icing, or instrument meteorological conditions were noted. The 1900 upper air sounding at BDL depicted light winds below 5,000 feet and a freezing level above 7,000 feet. There were no pilot reports of turbulence or low-level wind shear in the vicinity. Astronomical data from the United States Naval Observatory indicated that sunset occurred at 1624 and the end of civil twilight occurred at 1657. Moonrise occurred at 1144 and set after the accident at 2253. At the time of the accident, the moon was 35 degrees above the horizon at an azimuth of 200 degrees. The phase of the moon was a waxing crescent with 43 percent illumination. ## Airport Information 4B9 was a non-towered airport that operated under class C airspace and had no published instrument procedures. The airport was equipped with pilot-controlled lighting, and the traffic pattern altitude for fixed-wing aircraft was 1,200 feet msl. The field elevation for the airport was 195 feet msl. The airport was equipped with one asphalt runway. Runway 3/21 was 2,205 feet in length and 50 feet wide. Bradley International Airport was located 4 nautical miles east of the airport. The maximum elevation figure (MEF) west of 4B9 was 2,200 feet msl. ## Wreckage and Impact Information The accident site was located about 6 miles southwest of 4B9, at an elevation of 830 msl, on a heavily wooded ridgeline. The distance from the last radar contact to the initial impact area was less than a quarter nautical mile. The initial impact point was identified by several damaged tree limbs, and a wreckage path about 75 feet in length, oriented approximately 070 degrees magnetic, extending through the impact area. Fragments of the airplane, including portions of the right wing, right main landing gear, and outboard portion of the left wing, were located along the wreckage path. The engine remained attached to the fuselage, and one of the two propeller blades exhibited impact-related damage. The right wing was located in the initial tree impact area. Aileron control cable continuity was traced from the control sector through the cable separations to the fuselage, forward to the control “T”-bar. The left wing was segmented into two sections, inboard and outboard. The left flap was attached to its hinge points on the trailing edge. The left aileron was segmented at its inboard hinge. Continuity of the left aileron control cable was traced to the forward cabin area and the control “T”-bar. Rudder pedal control continuity was established aft. The stabilizer control cables were attached to the balance weight, and control continuity was established with no hammering condition noted on the stabilator primary stops. The rudder control cables were separated from their clevises, which were attached to the rudder control horn. Control continuity was established from the cable separation at the clevises forward to the cabin area. The engine was suspended from a lift and partially disassembled to facilitate the examination. The propeller was removed, and the engine was rotated by means of a tool inserted in the vacuum pump drive pad. Continuity of the crankshaft to the rear gears and to the valve train was confirmed. Compression and suction were observed from all four cylinders. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange, and the propeller spinner was crushed. One propeller blade was curved aft about 5 degrees; about 5 inches of the outboard blade was bent forward about 60 degrees; and about 1 inch of the blade tip was bent forward. The other propeller blade was curved aft about 20 degrees and exhibited leading edge abrasion and impact damage. The propeller blade also exhibited twisting and trailing edge “S” bends. The carburetor was disassembled, and no damage was noted to the float assembly or other internal components. No fuel was observed in the airframe fuel strainer. About one teaspoon of a liquid, with color and odor consistent with that of aviation 100LL fuel, was observed in the carburetor float bowl. No water was observed in the bowl. Fuel was observed in the engine-driven fuel pump, and the pump produced fuel when actuated by hand. Fuel was also observed in the aircraft electric fuel pump. The fuel screens from the carburetor, aircraft fuel strainer, and airframe electric fuel pump were examined, and no debris was noted. All eight spark plugs exhibited normal wear. An undetermined quantity of oil was observed in the engine, and the engine oil filter was impact separated from the engine and was not recovered. The oil cooler remained attached to the engine baffling and was impact damaged. ## Medical and Pathological Information An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the State of Connecticut, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Farmington, Connecticut, on November 19, 2012. Review of the autopsy report revealed that the cause of death was “multiple blunt traumatic injuries” and the manner of death was “accident.” The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute toxicology report was negative for all drugs in the screening profile. In addition, the report stated that no ethanol was detected in vitreous fluid, nor was any carbon monoxide detected in a blood sample. ## Tests and Research A handheld global positioning system (GPS) receiver was recovered in the wreckage and examined by the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. Data was successfully downloaded; however, there was no data for the accident flight. ## Additional Information: Ground Lighting Illusions According to the Aeronautical Information Manual, lights along a straight path, such as a road, and even lights on moving trains can be mistaken for runway and approach lights.