Pilot Was Performing Touch-And-Go's

A Piper PA-28 (file photo of type, below) crashed in flames Sunday as its pilot was performing a series of touch-and-go's about 20 miles southwest of Philadelphia Sunday. All four people on board were killed.

It happened at the New Garden Airport in Chester County at around 1615 local. "When he was departing, he struck the left side of the hangar on the last touch-and-go he attempted," said FAA spokesman Jim Peters.

The pilot and three passengers were thought to have been related, but that wasn't confirmed as of late Sunday night.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 38355        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 07/25/2004     Time: 2015

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

LOCATION
  City: TOUGHKENAMON                State: PA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION ACFT CRASHED INTO AN ARPT HANGER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, WHILE CONDUCTING A PLEASURE FLIGHT. AUTHORITIES RESPONDED AND REPORTED THE FOUR OCCUPANTS SUSTATINED FATAL INJURIES . ALSO THE HANGER, ACFT AND THREE VEHICLES ARE DESTROYED BY FIRE. TOUGHKENAMON, PA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   4
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:    3     Fat:   3     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED                                                               
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: MIV                         Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: NEW GARDEN ARPT  N57     Flt Plan: VFR          Wx Briefing: Y
  Last Radio Cont: UNKN
  Last Clearance: UNKN

  FAA FSDO: PHILADELPHIA, PA  (EA17)              Entry date: 07/26/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov