No fatalities

19 Jun 2016: PIPER PA32 260 — Block Island, RI

Block Island, RI, United States

On 19 Jun 2016, a PIPER PA32 260 was involved in an aviation accident near Block Island, RI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and the airplane’s subsequent collision with obstacles during an attempted go-around. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot on final approach observed another aircraft depart from the same runway, continued to land midfield, then attempted a late go-around, striking a fence and guard rail, causing substantial damage.

Incident Details

A pilot reported that while on final approach to a 2,502-foot-long asphalt runway, he noticed another airplane back-taxiing on the runway and subsequently depart. He continued the approach, performed a normal full flaps landing, and touched down approximately midfield. During the rollout, he determined there was insufficient runway remaining to stop and elected to attempt a go-around.

The airplane then struck the airport perimeter fence and a roadway guard rail before impacting terrain. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

Pilot Commentary

The pilot reported no pre-accident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He further stated that the accident might have been prevented by aborting the landing earlier.

Contributing factors

Causes

Descent/approach/glide path — Not attained/maintainedCapability exceededPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome