Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-23 near Highlands, NC — 2008-07-29

Final reportNYC08FA260
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Date
2008-07-29
Location
Highlands, NC, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-23
Registration
N1180P
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and intensity information to the pilot.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and intensity information to the pilot.

NTSB narrative

The professional airline pilot had just purchased the personal airplane, and the accident flight was his first flight in it. Prior to departing on the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot received a weather briefing which included warnings for severe convective activity. While enroute, the pilot was in contact with air traffic control and indicated he was deviating around weather. The controller initially described the radar-observed precipitation correctly to the pilot. However, when the pilot decided to deviate toward a different area of extreme weather, the controller described it only as "a buildup," which was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration directives. By the time the pilot elected to reverse course, the airplane was in the vicinity of extreme-levels of precipitation. A ground witness observed the airplane fly into an area of "dark clouds", and then break apart in-flight. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to avoid the severe weather instead of maneuvering into it.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 17 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents17

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