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20180520005659A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Bennington, VT · May 20, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 20, 2018 · 14:25 local
Place
Bennington, VT
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1101X
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA18FA148
Reported as
Piper PA-34-200T
Reported engine
Continental TSIO-360 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
256 total
N1101XRegistration cancelled Sep 6, 2019 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-7570208 · Built 1975Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200TEngine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

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.

The pilot departed btv at approximately 1744 with a destination of oxc. In review of the audio and video radar, the pilot was recieving flight following from albany approach control. The controller advised the pilot of the location of precipitation, along with mountainous terrain nearby. The controller subsequently solicited a pilot report from the pilot regarding cloud bases. The pilot reported that the cloud bases were at 3,000 ft; however, at that time, radar indicated that the accident airplane was at 3,400 ft. the controller then asked the pilot if he was in the clouds and the pilot responded that he was coming out of them. The controller suggested a westbound turn for lower terrain and continued radar coverage. At that time, the accident airplane was flying between 3,200 ft and 4,000 ft mean sea level (MSL), but the minimum vectoring altitude for that area was 5,000 ft MSL. The airplane briefly turned to a westbound heading, but then turned back to a southeast heading. About 4 miles later, the controller again advised the pilot that if he continued on the present heading that radar coverage would be lost. The pilot asked again what heading he should fly and the controller responded westbound, which the pilot responded a heading of 270 degrees. Radar and radio contact were then lost during the second westbound turn.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT DEPARTED BTV AT APPROXIMATELY 1744 WITH A DESTINATION OF OXC. IN REVIEW OF THE AUDIO AND VIDEO RADAR, THE PILOT WAS RECIEVING FLIGHT FOLLOWING FROM ALBANY APPROACH CONTROL. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT OF THE LOCATION OF PRECIPITATION, ALONG WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEARBY. THE CONTROLLER SUBSEQUENTLY SOLICITED A PILOT REPORT FROM THE PILOT REGARDING CLOUD BASES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CLOUD BASES WERE AT 3,000 FT; HOWEVER, AT THAT TIME, RADAR INDICATED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS AT 3,400 FT. THE CONTROLLER THEN ASKED THE PILOT IF HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS AND THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE WAS COMING OUT OF THEM. THE CONTROLLER SUGGESTED A WESTBOUND TURN FOR LOWER TERRAIN AND CONTINUED RADAR COVERAGE. AT THAT TIME, THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS FLYING BETWEEN 3,200 FT AND 4,000 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL), BUT THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDE FOR THAT AREA WAS 5,000 FT MSL. THE AIRPLANE BRIEFLY TURNED TO A WESTBOUND HEADING, BUT THEN TURNED BACK TO A SOUTHEAST HEADING. ABOUT 4 MILES LATER, THE CONTROLLER AGAIN ADVISED THE PILOT THAT IF HE CONTINUED ON THE PRESENT HEADING THAT RADAR COVERAGE WOULD BE LOST. THE PILOT ASKED AGAIN WHAT HEADING HE SHOULD FLY AND THE CONTROLLER RESPONDED WESTBOUND, WHICH THE PILOT RESPONDED A HEADING OF 270 DEGREES. RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WERE THEN LOST DURING THE SECOND WESTBOUND TURN.

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 ERA18FA148Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBennington, VTThe pilot's improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during a turn.May 20, 2018 · Destroyed

Other reports on N1101X · 2

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

Incident 20080530836399ILevel Off Touchdown · Edgewater, MD(-23) I learned of this incident on 6/5/2008 from a request to ferry the aircraft for maintenance. An inspection of the aircraft found that the right propeller was replaced and there was no other damage to the aircraft. During a telecon, the pilot stated that…May 30, 2008 · Minor damageIncident 19870811052059IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Andover, NJOvershot runway end due to excessive landing speed.Aug 11, 1987 · Minor damage