# NTSB CEN12WA223: Piper PA-31, Cottens, Switzerland, November 10, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: November 10, 2011, 13:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place: Cottens, Switzerland
- Coordinates: 46.760276, 7.041666 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.7603&lon=7.0417&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Lead agency: Other
- Parties: Swiss AAIB
- NTSB case key (mKey): 83286
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12WA223
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83286/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83286
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12WA223

## Probable cause

The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Swiss government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Swiss government or the Swiss Accident Investigation Board. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Swiss Accident Investigation Board SAIB Aéropôle 1, Route de Morens CH-1530 Payerne Switzerland

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Other authority investigated (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Swiss government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Swiss government or the Swiss Accident Investigation Board. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Swiss Accident Investigation Board SAIB Aéropôle 1, Route de Morens CH-1530 Payerne Switzerland

## Factual narrative

On November 10, 2011, at 1315 coordinated universal time, a Piper PA-31, Swiss registered HB-LOT, owned and piloted by the accident pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain after takeoff near Cottens, Switzerland. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Ecuvillens, Switzerland, and was en route to Geneva, Switzerland. The Swiss investigators received reports that the airplane impacted trees and then a power line after takeoff. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Swiss government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Swiss government or the Swiss Accident Investigation Board. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Swiss Accident Investigation Board SAIB Aéropôle 1, Route de Morens CH-1530 Payerne Switzerland

## Aircraft

- Registration: HB-LOT (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 31-7400981
- Airframe hours: 4991.3
- Engines: Textron Lycoming TIO-540-A2C reciprocating; Textron Lycoming TIO-540-A2C reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Non-U.S., non-commercial
- Departed: Ecuvillens
- Destination: Geneva
- Flight plan: Unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 2 knots
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observed at: LSZB

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 6, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83286. 31 KB in all.

- Docket Insert - CEN12WA233 (item 1, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365546&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Docket%20Insert%20-%20CEN12WA233-Master.PDF

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.

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