- Date
- November 7, 1991, 21:00 local (Nov 8, 1991, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Engelhard, NC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7120PPiper PA-24
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911107049979A
- Case key
- 8487
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The spatial disorientation experienced by the pilot, and his inadvertent descent into the terrain. A factor was the dark, night lighting condition at the time of the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The non instrument rated pilot was returning to his home airport following a business trip. Night, VMC existed, with an overcast ceiling at 7,000 feet. The departure runway heading was directly toward the pamlico sound in eastern n.c. the wreckage was found 1/4 mile north of the departure end of runway 11. The airplane impacted trees and terrain in a shallow descent and came to rest inverted. The investigation revealed no evidence of mechanical problems or loss of aircraft control prior to impact. It was noted that there were a lack of night visual references in the sparsely populated area. This, coupled with darkness and an overcast ceiling, resulted in conditions conducive to spatial disorientation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7120P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-2279
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Koger, Bobby B.
- Registered owner
- Koger, Bobby B.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- W17 · Knightdale, NC
- Airport
- 7W6 · Hyde County, runway 11, 4,700 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 700 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EWN, 61 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.