# Accident 20001214036219A: Piper PA31325, Belvidere, NC, December 14, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 14, 2000, 13:03 local time
- Place: Belvidere, NC
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.2600° N, 76.5293° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2600&lon=-76.5293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N120JB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N120JB-2017-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-325 (registry code 7103105, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-325) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31325
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540J2B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 647 total, 336 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01FA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01FA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001214036219A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA01FA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01FA043), Dec 14, 2000: Piper PA-31-325 (N120JB), Belvidere, NC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

## Other reports on N120JB (1)

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

- [Incident 19800808082239I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800808082239I), Aug 8, 1980: Piper PA31325 (N120JB), Atlantic City, NJ, Minor damage. Pilot stated gear collapsed after touchdown, gear door closed, no mechanical defects. Selector found in neutral.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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