Incident Overview
On 19 September 2015, at approximately 3:18 p.m., a Piper PA-32RT-300T aircraft, registration N-36401, was involved in a serious incident after landing on the Autopista Duarte highway, in the Jeremías section of La Vega, Dominican Republic. The aircraft was operating a private flight from Miami Executive Airport (KTMB), Florida, to Dr. Joaquín Balaguer International Airport (MDJB) in Santo Domingo.
Aircraft and Flight Information
The aircraft, a Piper Turbo Lance 2 model PA-32RT-300T (serial number 32R-7887040), was manufactured in 1978. It was equipped with a single Lycoming TIO-540 S1AD reciprocating engine rated at 300 horsepower, and a Hartzell constant-speed propeller. The landing gear was of the retractable tricycle type. The last annual inspection was conducted on 4 April 2015, and the total airframe time was 2,864.8 hours.
Injuries and Damage
The two occupants on board—the pilot and one passenger—were uninjured. During the landing on the highway, the left wing tip struck a road signage, causing the breakage and detachment of the left navigation light. The right wing tip impacted the guardrail of a bridge, resulting in tearing of the lower surface of the right wing. No other damage was recorded.
Weather Conditions
The official weather report for that day indicated wind from the east/southeast, with low humidity and isolated showers possible in the afternoon, particularly in the region of La Vega.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a Dominican national born on 11 November 1986, held ratings for single-engine and multi-engine land airplanes as well as instrument flight. The pilot’s most recent medical examination was dated 30 December 2014. Total flight time was 434 hours, with 9 hours on the accident aircraft type. In the preceding 90 days, the pilot had logged 38 hours; in the last 30 days, 24.9 hours; and in the last 72 hours, 3.3 hours. The pilot had not flown in the 24 hours prior to the flight. The duty period began at 8:00 a.m., and the pilot had 24 hours of rest before that.
Conclusion
The investigation did not state a probable cause for the incident.