NYC99FAMS3

The pilot departed under visual flight rules. There was no known weather briefing obtained by the pilot, flight plan filed, or communications with the airplane after departure, which disappeared from radar about 30 minutes after takeoff. Visual metrological conditions prevailed at the time of the takeoff; however, instrument meteorological conditions were present at an airport about 5 miles northeast of the airplane's last recorded radar position. Neither the pilot nor airplane were located. The pilot held an instrument rating and reported 2,900 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA medical certificate, which was issued about a year prior to the accident.

On May 6, 1999, about 1518 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA 28RT-201T, N8235Z, was presumed destroyed when it disappeared from radar, near Plymouth, Massachusetts. As of February 11, 2003, the airplane had not been located, and the certificated private pilot was presumed fatal. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the takeoff, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Norwood Memorial Airport (OWD), about 1445. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

There were no known communications with the airplane.

Air traffic control radar began tracking a target with a transponder code of 1200 in the Norwood area, about the same time the missing airplane was suspected of departing. The target tracked southbound to a point 5 miles south of the Taunton Airport, then turned eastbound at 1506:02. At that time, the altitude of the target was 1,100 feet. At 1506:14, at 41 degrees, 49 minutes, 83 seconds, north latitude, and 70 degrees, 49 minutes, 22 seconds, west longitude, radar contact was lost. At 1518:14, a target was observed at 41 degrees, 50 minutes, 32 seconds, north latitude, 70 degrees, 46 minutes, west longitude, at an altitude of 500 feet. There were no further contacts.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there was no record that the pilot had obtained a weather briefing from a flight service station prior to the flight.

The weather reported at OWD, at 1453, and 1535, was as follows:

1453: Winds 070 at 8 knots; Visibility 7 miles; Few clouds at 3,200 feet; Temperature 66 degrees F; Dew point 61 degrees F.

1535: Winds 050 at 7 knots; Visibility 10 miles; Ceiling 2,800 feet overcast; Temperature 64 degrees F; Dew point 59 degrees F.

The weather reported at the Plymouth Airport, which was located about 5 miles northeast of the what was believed to be the airplane's last known position, was as follows:

1452: Winds 070 at 11 knots; Visibility 10 miles; Broken cloud layers at 500, 1,800 and 2,500 feet; Temperature 55 degrees F; Dew point 52 degrees F.

1552: Winds 060 at 5 knots; Visibility 10 miles; Ceiling 500 overcast, Temperature 55 degrees F; Dew point 52 degrees F.

The pilot was instrument rated and reported 2,900 hours of total flight experience on his last application for an FAA third class medical certificate, which was issued on May 29, 1998.