Piper PA-34-200T accident near Oxford, Connecticut, April 13, 2002
On April 13, 2002 at about 1:18 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N82284, was destroyed in an accident near Oxford, Connecticut (Waterbury/Oxford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach procedure. Factors were the night and low ceiling conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2002 · about 1:18 am local time
- Place
- Oxford, Connecticut · Waterbury/Oxford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N82284 · no longer on the register · serial 34-8070220
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After obtaining weather information, the pilot departed on a long cross country flight at night in instrument meteorological conditions. Approximately 2 hours after departure, the pilot was vectored by air traffic control (ATC) to intercept the localizer for the ILS RWY 36 approach at his destination airport. The pilot acknowledged that he had intercepted the localizer, and was cleared for the approach. Subsequently, ATC terminated radar services and approved a change in radio frequency. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, and there were no further communications with him. Data extracted from a handheld GPS unit revealed that during the last 4 minutes of the flight, the airplane made a series of left and right hand turns in the vicinity of the localizer course as it descended towards the airport. However, it was never established on the localizer course. The last recorded position calculated by the GPS occurred at 2118, was at an altitude of 779 feet msl, about 2,000 feet southeast of runway 36. The published decision altitude for the approach was 972 feet msl. A witness said that the airplane flew very low over her home, and sounded like "a motorcycle going full throttle...at a steady constant rate." Another witness said that the airplane flew over his home about 40-50 feet above the trees with the engines "running correctly." He then observed the airplane's landing lights illuminate the tree tops, then the woods, before it collided with terrain. Weather at the time of the accident included wind from 200 degrees at 6 knots gusting to 15 knots, visibility 2 statute miles, ceiling 300 feet overcast, temperature 52 degrees F, and dewpoint 51 degrees F.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 897 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 16, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,158 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental LTSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CRE Grand Strand SC at 10:00 pm
- Destination: OXC Oxford CT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from OXC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.