NYC00FA245

The non-instrument rated pilot was conducting a cross county flight from New York to Florida. Radar data revealed the airplane was traveling southwest and was level at 8,700 feet, when it made a right turn at 1727:42. The airplane continued to the right and at 1727:47, the airplane's altitude indicated 8,500 feet. The airplane descended to 8,300 feet at 1727:51, and 5,300 feet at 1728:05. There were no further radar returns observed from the airplane. Witnesses reported observing the airplane break-up in-flight, before the main wreckage impacted a sidewalk. All major portions of the airplane were located with-in 1/4 to 1/2 miles of the main wreckage. Weather information obtained for the flight indicated an area of instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. A larger area of marginal visual meteorological conditions surrounded the IFR area. There was no record that the pilot had received a pre-flight weather briefing prior to the flight. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed 13 months prior to the accident. The pilot's estimate total flight experience was about 400 hours. He pilot had logged 2 hours of 'actual' and 36 hours of 'simulated' instrument flight experience; all of which had been logged about 10 years prior to the accident.

History of flight

On August 30, 2000, about 1730 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6411P, was destroyed during an in-flight break-up and collision with the ground in Lexington, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that departed the Eastern West Virginia Regional/Shepherd Airport (MRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia, destined for the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), Columbia, South Carolina. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot's brother-in-law, the airplane was based at Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The pilot departed FRG about 1400, with the intent of visiting family members who lived in Boca Raton, Florida. He did not know the pilot's proposed route of flight.

According to an airframe and powerplant mechanic who was based at the Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida, the pilot had called him about 1 week before the accident to schedule an annual inspection for the airplane, to be conducted during the pilot's stay in Florida. At that time, the pilot informed him that the airplane's annual inspection had expired. The mechanic informed the pilot that he would need to obtain a ferry permit, and he replied he would "take care of that." The next time the mechanic spoke to the pilot was on the day of the accident, about 1345, when the pilot called to tell him that he was "on his way."

According to a transcript provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), at 1722:52, the pilot of N6411P contacted the Roanoke Airport Air Traffic Control Tower. The pilot received the current Lynchburg Airport altimeter setting and replied, "altitude ninety two going back down to eighty five." There were no further transmissions from the airplane.

Radar data obtained from the FAA revealed the airplane was traveling southwest and was level at 8,700 feet, when it made a right turn at 1727:42. The airplane continued to the right and at 1727:47, the airplane's altitude indicated 8,500 feet. The airplane descended to 8,300 feet at 1727:51, and 5,300 feet at 1728:05. There were no further radar returns observed from the airplane.

A witness near the accident site stated he suddenly heard an engine noise from an airplane, and it was "revving real loud." He further stated:

"The plane came out of the clouds still intact, and it was spiraling down. The left wing at the tail broke off first and then it just started breaking up. It was corkscrewing toward the ground and I lost site of it as it went behind the trees."

Another witness who observed the airplane stated that he heard a "whistling" sound, looked up, and heard a loud explosion, which was followed by "parts falling everywhere." The airplane then made a nosedive and corkscrewed to the right. He stated the airplane was traveling at a "tremendous speed."

Several witnesses reported they looked up and observed an airplane spinning and/or "breaking apart" before they lost sight of it.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight approximately 37 degrees, 47 minutes north latitude, and 79 degrees, 26 minutes west longitude.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating. He was not instrument rated. According to the pilot's family, the pilot had owned the airplane for about 15 years, and flew about six times a year. His most recent flight was about 1 month prior to the accident. Additionally, they reported the pilot had flown to Florida several times prior to the accident.

Review of the pilot's logbook revealed the most recent entry was dated September 1, 1999. The pilot's total estimated flight experience was about 400 hours, of which, about 270 hours were accumulated in the accident airplane. The pilot had logged 2 hours of "actual" and 36 hours of "simulated" instrument flight experience; all of which had been logged as May 5, 1990. Additionally, the pilot's most recent documented biennial flight review was conducted in December 1997.

The pilot held a FAA third class medical certificate, which was issued on April 4, 2000.

Aircraft information

Review of maintenance records revealed the airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed on July 21, 1999. A check of FAA records did not reveal any evidence that the pilot had obtained a ferry permit for the flight.

Review of the recorded tachometer times during prior annual inspections revealed the airplane had been operated for about 31 hours during the year prior to the annual inspection. Additionally, between June 2, 1995 and June 30, 1998, the airplane had been operated for about 90 hours.

Meteorological information

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, there was no record that pilot had obtained a pre-flight weather briefing prior to the flight. Additionally, review of air traffic control communications for the flight revealed that that the pilot had not received any in-flight weather advisories.

Weather observations taken at an airport about 30 miles south-southeast of the accident site reported the following conditions:

At 1654: wind variable at 5 knots, visibility 2 miles in moderate rain and mist, ceiling broken at 2,000 feet, overcast layer at 3,000 feet, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point temperature 21 degrees C, altimeter 30.04 inches of mercury (Hg).

At 1712: wind from 040 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 17 knots, variable from 350 to 090 degrees, visibility 6 miles in light rain and mist, ceiling broken at 2,200 feet, overcast at 2,700 feet, temperature 23 degrees C, dew point 22 degrees C, altimeter 30.03 inches of Hg.

At 1746: wind from 040 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 15 knots, variable from 360 to 070 degrees, visibility 10 miles in light rain, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 2,100 feet, ceiling broken at 5,000 feet, temperature 23 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C, altimeter 30.05 inches of Hg.

At 1754: wind from 040 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 16 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling broken at 1,800 feet, second broken layer of clouds at 5,000 feet, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C, altimeter 30.05 inches of Hg.

Review of a National Weather Service (NWS) weather depiction chart for 1800 on the day of the accident, indicated an area of instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions over western Virginia in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. Surrounding the IFR area was a larger area of marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions over southern Maryland, Virginia (except the extreme western portion), eastern North Carolina and South Carolina. The station models over Virginia indicated ceilings from 900 to 5,500 feet, and visibilities down to 2 miles in light to moderate rain.

Review of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite number-8 (GOES-8) data revealed an enhanced area of clouds which extended from the Atlantic Ocean westward into Maryland and Virginia, was located immediately to the south of the accident site.

The synopsis section of the NWS area forecast (FA) that was current at the time of the accident described a ridge of high pressure extending from Maine coastal waters to western Pennsylvania, which was expected to shift slowly east-northeast. Moist easterly onshore flow was expected to continue from southern New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey southward. An elongated upper level low pressure area extending from southeast Virginia to the Georgia coastline was expected to shift slowly westward.

The forecast for western Virginia and Maryland was for a ceiling of broken to overcast layer of clouds with bases at 4,000 to 5,000 feet MSL and tops to 9,000 feet. Between 2000 and 2300, the broken to overcast ceiling was expected to lower to 3,000 to 4,000 feet, with a second broken layer at 10,000 fe