20031013027509A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Cordsville, SC · October 13, 2003

Date: October 13, 2003 · 20:00 local
Place: Cordsville, SC
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: A1NA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N63942
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04FA016
Reported as: Piper PA23250
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540C4B5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,500 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N63942Registration cancelled May 13, 2015 · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-7854075 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250 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) On 11/13/03 larry gray departed (hto) east hampton, NY in his PA-23-250 registration N63942 at around 4PM and filed IFR direct for (chs) charleston, SC. At 8PM (a little over 4HRS into the flight) as the a/c descended for approach to runway 21 at chs the a/c disappeared off the radar screen at 2900' with no verbal indication to air traffic of any trouble. The a/c struck the ground (20NM NE of chs) in a heavily wooded area (francis marion forest) in an almost vertical nose down position with very little overhead canopy damage. The a/c burnt from post crash fire. Several witness statements revealed the a/c was traveling in a southerly direction at about 500' above the ground with one engine running and backfiring 1.4 miles from impact. Engines are to be tore down by Lycoming 11/12/03. Air traffic audio tapes sent to the NTSB lab for analysis. Pilot hrs. In make and model and last 90 days cannot be determined at this time due to destroyed records.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 11/13/03 LARRY GRAY DEPARTED (HTO) EAST HAMPTON, NY IN HIS PA-23-250 REGISTRATION N63942 AT AROUND 4PM AND FILED IFR DIRECT FOR (CHS) CHARLESTON, SC. AT 8PM (A LITTLE OVER 4HRS INTO THE FLIGHT) AS THE A/C DESCENDED FOR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 21 AT CHS THE A/C DISAPPEARED OFF THE RADAR SCREEN AT 2900' WITH NO VERBAL INDICATION TO AIR TRAFFIC OF ANY TROUBLE. THE A/C STRUCK THE GROUND (20NM NE OF CHS) IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA (FRANCIS MARION FOREST) IN AN ALMOST VERTICAL NOSE DOWN POSITION WITH VERY LITTLE OVERHEAD CANOPY DAMAGE. THE A/C BURNT FROM POST CRASH FIRE. SEVERAL WITNESS STATEMENTS REVEALED THE A/C WAS TRAVELING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION AT ABOUT 500' ABOVE THE GROUND WITH ONE ENGINE RUNNING AND BACKFIRING 1.4 MILES FROM IMPACT. ENGINES ARE TO BE TORE DOWN BY LYCOMING 11/12/03. AIR TRAFFIC AUDIO TAPES SENT TO THE NTSB LAB FOR ANALYSIS. PILOT HRS. IN MAKE AND MODEL AND LAST 90 DAYS CANNOT BE DETERMINED AT THIS TIME DUE TO DESTROYED RECORDS.

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 ATL04FA016Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCordesville, SCThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent into trees and the ground. A factor was physical impairment.Oct 13, 2003 · Substantial damage