Cessna 180 accident near Westerly, RI
On November 16, 2003, a Cessna 180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Westerly, RI. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 16, 2003
- Place
- Westerly, RI
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.349°N, 71.804°W
- NTSB ID
- 20031120X01934
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 16, 2003, at 1330 eastern standard time, a Cessna 180, N34AG, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain, after colliding in-flight with a Piper PA-28-181, N2885D. The Piper received minor damage during a hard landing after the collision. The collision occurred while the Cessna was taking off, and the Piper was landing, at the Westerly Airport (WST), Westerly, Rhode Island. Both certificated flight instructors aboard the Cessna were fatally injured, while the certificated private pilot and two passengers aboard the Piper were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for either airplane. The Cessna was a local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, while the Piper was a personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, which originated from the Windham Airport (IJD), Windham, Connecticut. According to the pilot of the Piper, when he arrived in the Westerly Airport area, a landing attempt was made to runway 32; however, because he was too high on the approach, the pilot elected to abort the landing. The pilot remained in the left-hand traffic pattern for runway 32, and announced all of his positions during the traffic pattern on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF). Upon turning final approach to land the second time, the pilot observed a tail-wheeled airplane "about to get onto runway 32." The airplane remained on the displaced threshold portion of the runway, and the pilot thought it would remain there until after he landed. The pilot continued the approach, and soon after
Probable cause
The Piper pilot's improper decision to continue a landing on an occupied runway, which resulted in an in-flight collision with the departing Cessna. Factors related to the accident were the departing Cessna pilot's inattentive radio communications, and the obscured visibility of the traffic pattern from the air and ground by trees located at the departure end of the runway.
More accidents in RI
- Piper PA-28R-200, Jul 5, 2006
- Piper PA-32R-301, Sep 3, 2000
- Piper PA-28-161, Jul 3, 2008
- Piper PA-38-112, Nov 17, 2008
- Beech A-36, Apr 28, 2001
Browse: Rhode Island · Cessna 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.
