20001214036219A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-325 · Belvidere, NC · December 14, 2000

Date: December 14, 2000 · 13:03 local
Place: Belvidere, NC
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N120JB
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA01FA043
Reported as: Piper PA31325
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540J2B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 647 total336 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N120JBRegistration cancelled Jul 12, 2017 · Piper PA-31-325S/N 31-7612050 · Built 1976 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-325 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) While being vectored for an instrument approach into ede airport, pilot apparently lost control of the airplane in the clouds, and impacted the ground under power in a near-vertical attitude. A/c was destroyed and pilot was fatally injured. (.4) the flight was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions and was observed on radar making climbing and descending turns prior to making a final descending turn and being lost from radar. Examination of the crash site showed the airplane had impacted the terrain in a about a 90-degree nose down attitude. The crash site was about .09 miles from the last radar contact, when the airplane was 2,000 feet above ground level. Post crash examination of the airplane structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, and airplane systems showed no evidence of pre-crash failure or malfunction.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH INTO EDE AIRPORT, PILOT APPARENTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN THE CLOUDS, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND UNDER POWER IN A NEAR-VERTICAL ATTITUDE. A/C WAS DESTROYED AND PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. (.4) THE FLIGHT WAS MANEUVERING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR MAKING CLIMBING AND DESCENDING TURNS PRIOR TO MAKING A FINAL DESCENDING TURN AND BEING LOST FROM RADAR. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE SHOWED THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A ABOUT A 90-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT .09 MILES FROM THE LAST RADAR CONTACT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS 2,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINES, PROPELLERS, AND AIRPLANE SYSTEMS SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-CRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA01FA043Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBelvidere, NCThe pilot's failure to maintain airplane control due to spatial disorientation while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions resulting in the airplane entering a descending turn and crashing into terrain.Dec 14, 2000 · Destroyed

Other reports on N120JB · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19800808082239ILevel Off Touchdown · Atlantic City, NJPilot stated gear collapsed after touchdown, gear door closed, no mechanical defects. Selector found in neutral.Aug 8, 1980 · Minor damage