# Accident 20090705013199A: Pilats PC1245, Raphine, VA, July 5, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 2009, 10:04 local time
- Place: Raphine, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.9244° N, 79.2172° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9244&lon=-79.2172&mi=10
- Aircraft: N578DC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N578DC-2013-11-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pilatus PC-12/45 (registry code 7090551, https://openairdocs.org/model/pilatus-pc-12-45) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PILATS PC1245
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A67B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,885 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09FA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA376) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090705013199A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 5, 2009 AT 1004 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, N578DC, A PILATUS PC12/45 AIRCRAFT CRASHED NEAR RAPHINE, VA.  THE PILOT TOLD AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT HE REQUIRED RADAR VECTORS BECAUSE HE HAD "LOST MY PANEL."  MOMENTS LATER THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND CRASHED.  AT THE TIME, THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID WEATHER BY CLIMBING THE AIRCRAFT IN IMC FROM FL300 TO FL320.  THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE ACHIEVED WAS FL308.  THE MAXIMUM OPERATING ALTITUDE LIMIT FOR THE PILATUS PC12 IS 30,000 FEET.  THE PILOT AND ALL THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED.

## 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 ERA09FA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA376), Jul 5, 2009: Pilatus PC-12/45 (N578DC), Raphine, VA, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while in instrument meteorological conditions following a reported instrumentation failure for undetermined reasons.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.