20010303003529A

(.19) On March 3, 2001, about 1425 CST, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, N911PL, registered to southern air systems, operating as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, crashed offshore near Gulfport, Mississippi. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan had been filed, but not acitvated. The airplane was destroyed and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, is presumed to have received fatal injuries. The flight departed tampa international airport, tampa, Florida, about 1215 EST. According to FAA Gulfport approach control, who was providing flight following, they received a land line call from FAA new orleans control approach control recommending that the flight not try to continue VFR. Gulfport relayed the message to N911PL, recommended a left 180-degree turn to avoid weather, and received an acknowledgement. There was no further communication with N911PL, and the radar returns showed the flight enter a right turn and commence a high rate of descent. (-23)operator was instructed by ATC to make a left turn to avoid weather, instead the pilot made a right turn into weather. ATC reported the a/c went into "coast" status on radar. A/c crashed into the ocean 6 miles of the Mississippi gulf coast. (.4) according to transcripts of the saint petersburg afss telephone brief of flight conditions given to a person represented as the pilot of N911PL for a VFR flight plan between tampa, Florida and beaumont, Texas, on March 3, 2001. Due to a stationary frontal system lying between northern Georgia and a point in the gulf of Mexico west of new orleans, severe thunderstorm watches were in effect, moderate turbulence, strong headwinds, surface and aloft hail to 1 inch possible, wind gusts to 60 knots possible with maximum tops of thunderstorms about 45,000 feet existed along his intended flight path. Numerous sigmets, airmets, and weather watches were in effect prior to and during the actual flight. The destination forecast called for IFR ceilings until 2000 local time although the flight plan called for a destination arrival time of 1438. The flight departed tampa at 1208 and was advised b y FAA Gulfport approach control that FAA new orleans approach control recommended the flight not continue VFR. Once the pilot accepted the recommendation, Gulfport suggested a heading, but the radar return was observed to take a different heading, start a high rate of descent, and communications ceased at 1422 local time. A coast guard helicopter sighted wreckage pieces at about the 216 degree radial/ 17 miles from the Gulfport VOR at about 1509. A coast guard vessel was dispatched to the scene and recovered aircraft seats, interior parts, personal luggage, and an undeployed life raft. Subsequently, the left wing was recovered and the wing/fuselage attachments underwent NTSB materials laboratory analysis. The fractures were indicative of overstress in the upward, (assuming upright aircraft orientation) direction. No other pieces of the wreckage nor the pilot was recovered to date.