Piper PA-28-181 accident near Georgetown, DE
On July 26, 2005, a Piper PA-28-181 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Georgetown, DE. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 26, 2005
- Place
- Georgetown, DE
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.632°N, 75.352°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050811X01218
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 26, 2005, at 1552 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N59RK, was substantially damaged when it collided with a moving sport utility vehicle (SUV), on a public roadway, while on final approach to Joseph's Airport (DE49), Georgetown, Delaware. The driver and passenger of the SUV were fatally injured. The certificated private pilot, and the two passengers were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, the airplane departed DE49 for a sight seeing flight along the coastline. The flight proceeded at varying altitudes in-land of the Indian River Inlet Bridge to Bethany Beach, and then returned to DE49. The pilot stated that during final approach to runway 33, the rate of descent appeared greater than he was comfortable with so he increased power, but did not make a large adjustment because he did not want the airplane to "porpoise." The pilot briefly saw a vehicle approaching from his left on the road, but expected that the airplane would clear it. He also stated that he was focused on the runway for the landing and that the collision was "firm" and a "surprise." PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine-land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on November 9, 2005. According to his pilot logbooks, he had accrued 337 total hours of flight experience, and 244 hours in the accident airplane mak
Probable cause
The pilot's misjudged distance/altitude while on final approach to land, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a vehicle. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's improper use of the flaps, and the state of Delaware's insufficient standards for private airports, which allowed the runway threshold to be in close proximity to a public road.
More accidents in DE
- Cessna 750, Mar 1, 2012
- Piper PA28, Sep 26, 2015
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100, May 23, 2010
- Beech BE-200, Jun 16, 1992
- Piper PA-34, Nov 2, 2013
Browse: Delaware · 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.
