Piper PA-28-181 accident near Eastsound, WA
On January 19, 2003, a Piper PA-28-181 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Eastsound, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 19, 2003
- Place
- Eastsound, WA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 48.702°N, 122.946°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030205X00167
Official records · SEA03FA028
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 18, 2003, approximately 2010 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N7282C, impacted the waters of President Channel about one-third mile west of Orcas Island, Washington. The private pilot received serious injuries, the passenger in the right front seat received minor injuries, one passenger in the rear seat was uninjured, and the other rear seat passenger was still strapped in the seat when the aircraft sank to the bottom. The aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed by the impact sequence and the effects of the salt-water immersion. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Sequim, Washington, about 30 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in an area where fog and low ceilings had been reported. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, on the day of the accident, he flew his immediate family from Orcas Island to Sequim, landing there between 0900 and 0915. He and his passengers spent the day with extended family members and attended a church activity in the early evening. They arrived back at the Sequim Valley Airport about 1930, and after a normal preflight, during which the pilot found no anomalies or discrepancies, the flight departed for Orcas Island around 1940. According to the pilot, prior to departure, instead of setting his altimeter to the barometric pressure being transmitted from the Fairchild International Airport Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS), which is located approximately 12 miles west of Sequim Vall
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the water and his failure to reset the altimeter to the local barometric pressure. Contributing factors were fog and night conditions.
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Browse: Washington · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
