| Crash location | 41.745555°N, 72.627778°W |
| Nearest city | Hartford, CT
41.765933°N, 72.683426°W 3.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N1782J |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 16 Jun 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Piper Pa 28-140 |
| Additional details: | None |
On June 16, 2018, about 1315 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28-140 airplane, N1782J, struck a fence following an in-flight engine failure and forced landing shortly after takeoff from Hartford-Brainard airport (HFD), Hartford, Connecticut. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The airplane was privately owned and operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time and destined for New Bedford, Connecticut.
The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff, at about 900 feet agl, the engine lost power. The pilot stated he could not hold altitude so decided to land on a closed runway at a nearby airport. The pilot executed a series of S turns and landed in the last 1/3rd of the runway. As a result, the airplane touched down 600 feet from the end of the runway, skidded off of the runway, across a field and into a chain link fence. The pilot stated there may have been a mechanical issue that precipitated this accident. The airplane was transported to a secure location for further investigation.