PA-28 Pilot Report Rough Engine Just Before Going Down

The FAA says engine trouble may have been the cause of a PA-28 (file photo of aircraft type, below) crash near the border between New York and Pennsylvania Thursday night.

The identity of the plane's pilot has not yet been released. He was the only soul on board. FAA officials say the pilot had just departed Erie International Airport at about 8:20 pm EST when he radioed the tower to report engine problems.

The aircraft was registered to Gary Saunders of Waterford (CT) who was not on board at the time of the accident. He reportedly registered the aircraft, which was less than four years old, on February 9th. Saunders said he leases the aircraft as part of a business venture.

The pilot of the aircraft reported engine problems about 22 miles from the airport and turned in an apparent attempt to get back to Erie International. Airport officials say they lost contact with the Piper minutes before it dropped of radar and went down.

Search crews used snowmobiles and a helicopter to find the wreckage. They were guided to the vicinity of the crash site by witnesses who said they heard the plane's engine quit shortly before it impacted the ground.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4166P        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 02/27/2004     Time: 0115

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: CORRY                       State: PA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT REPORTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, 22 MILES EAST OF ERIE, PA (ERI). SHORTLY THEREAFTER RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT IN DISTRESS. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. CORRY, PA CARTER HILL WHEELCOCK RD

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:    0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KERI 270051Z 05009KT 10SM CLR M02/M04 A3037                                
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Cruise      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: ERIE, PA ERI                Dep Date: 02/27/2004   Dep. Time:     
  Destination: OXFORD, CT OXC           Flt Plan: VFR          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: 22 SE ERI ON ARW
  Last Clearance: POC MAINTAIN VFR

  FAA FSDO: ALLEGHENY CO., PA  (EA03)             Entry date: 02/27/2004

FMI: www.faa.gov/avr/aai/iirform.htm