- Date
- October 8, 1992, 20:28 local (Oct 9, 1992, 00:28 UTC)
- Place
- Pulaski, VA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N31953Piper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921008041429A
- Case key
- 37232
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 improper decision by the non-instrument-rated pilot to continue VFR flight into known instrument meteorological conditions resulting in spatial disorientation and loss of control of the airplane. Factors which contributed to the accident were the actions of the radar controller whose vectors and no-gyro vectors most likely contributed to the pilot's disorientation, the adverse weather conditions, and the dark night.
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
At 1930, the plt contacted fss & requested destination wx. He was advised that VFR flt was not recommended. At 2017, he contacted ATC center & reported that he '...ran into a little soup...' At 2020, he reported 'I've lost uh my turn indicator...' The non-pilot-rated ATC controller then began providing no-gyro vectors to the pilot. In addition, the controller did not provide the minium vectoring altitude to the pilot. At 2028, the pilot reported '...we're having some...trouble...' The airplane was observed coming down at about a 45 deg angle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31953
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7800008
- Engine
- Lycoming O-549-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Tar Heel Railroad Inc.
- Registered owner
- Tar Heel Railroad Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 11, 1992
- Departed
- 410 · Williamson, WV
- Destination
- 1NT · Winston-Salem, NC
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 1,400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BLF, 40 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.