History of Flight
On June 7, 2014, at approximately 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, registration N5169T, sustained substantial damage during a balked landing at Newport State Airport (EFK), Newport, Vermont. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported that on his first landing attempt he executed a go-around. During the second attempt, he stated he was "too high and fast" on final approach. During the flare, the airplane floated in ground effect and touched down approximately 3,000 feet down the runway. He then applied full power to abort the landing. At an altitude of about 900 feet above ground level (agl), the engine lost all power, according to the pilot.
The passenger stated he was not at the controls during the final landing. He did not recall the engine failing during the accident sequence. He confirmed that the pilot, who owned the airplane, had assumed pilot-in-command responsibilities and that the pilot left the scene immediately after the crash. The passenger could not confirm whether the pilot had consumed alcohol before the flight.
A witness reported that the airplane pitched up abruptly, climbed to about 200 feet agl, then banked left and settled back toward the ground. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain north of the departure end of runway 36. The witness stated the engine was running up to the point of impact.
Personnel Information
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. At the time of the accident, he did not possess an FAA medical certificate. He reported 604 hours of total flight experience, with 525 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
The pilot-rated passenger held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land and received a third-class medical certificate on October 1, 2012.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on May 1, 1972, and was purchased by the pilot on February 22, 2006. Its registration expired on May 31, 2014, approximately 7 days before the accident. Despite requests by the FAA and NTSB, no maintenance records were provided by the pilot/owner. A review of FAA airworthiness records indicated that as of April 1, 1992, the airplane had accrued 3,183 total hours of operation.
Meteorological Information
At 2055, recorded weather at EFK included wind from 300 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 7,500 feet, temperature 24°C, dewpoint 10°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright in a field approximately 850 feet off the end of runway 36. Examination of the accident site revealed multiple propeller strike marks in the ground leading to the main wreckage. The nose landing gear and right main landing gear had collapsed, and the left main landing gear had separated from the airplane. The fuselage structure was substantially damaged.
The propeller exhibited evidence of rotation, with twisted tips and chordwise scratching. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal engine operation. A cold engine compression check found no anomalies. The damaged propeller was replaced, and an engine start and run-up were conducted using the same fuel that was onboard at the time of the accident. The engine ran at 1500 RPM for about 3 minutes, then was shut down. A second startup was conducted, with power increased to 2300 RPM, then reduced to 2100 RPM for a magneto check, which showed no anomalies.
Additional Information
A witness reported that on the morning of the accident, she observed the pilot consume 12 to 16 alcoholic beverages between 0745 and 1230. The pilot then left to meet his passenger for the flight. After the accident, the Vermont State Police contacted the pilot at his residence, where he refused a breathalyzer test.