Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-22-135 near Dunn Center, ND — 2020-11-08

Final reportCEN21LA044
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Date
2020-11-08
Location
Dunn Center, ND, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-22-135
Registration
N3606A
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control.

NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot had landed at a friend’s private airstrip for a visit. The friend, who was also a pilot, reported that the pilot was nervous about the weather conditions and checked the weather every 30 minutes beginning about 2 hours before departing. The friend offered the pilot his vehicle to drive home, but the pilot declined. According to the friend, it was a dark night with low cloud ceilings, light drizzle, and thick fog. The friend stated that he followed the airplane during its takeoff roll to the south using his headlights to illuminate the runway and lost sight of the airplane’s lights in the overcast and fog within seconds after its departure. He heard the airplane’s engine running at high rpm and then heard an impact. The wreckage was located on top of a hill about 1/4 mile southwest of the airstrip. Ground scars, impact signatures, and wreckage fragmentation patterns were consistent with the airplane impacting terrain in a near 90° bank angle with high forward velocity. The airplane’s impact attitude and speed indicate the pilot had lost control of the airplane. The airplane likely entered instrument meteorological conditions shortly after takeoff, and the pilot lost visual reference to the ground, which resulted in a loss of control.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have chosen to drive home instead of flying in poor weather conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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