Accident Piper PA-24 N7120P,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39672
 
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Date:Thursday 7 November 1991
Time:22:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-24
Owner/operator:Koger, Bobby B.
Registration: N7120P
MSN: 24-2279
Engine model:Lycoming O-360-A1A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Engelhard, NC -   United States of America
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:
Destination airport:Knightdale, NC (W17)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME AIRPORT FOLLOWING A BUSINESS TRIP. NIGHT, VMC EXISTED, WITH AN OVERCAST CEILING AT 7,000 FEET. THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY HEADING WAS DIRECTLY TOWARD THE PAMLICO SOUND IN EASTERN N.C. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 1/4 MILE NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 11. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN IN A SHALLOW DESCENT AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OR LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL PRIOR TO IMPACT. IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WERE A LACK OF NIGHT VISUAL REFERENCES IN THE SPARSELY POPULATED AREA. THIS, COUPLED WITH DARKNESS AND AN OVERCAST CEILING, RESULTED IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

Probable Cause: THE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION EXPERIENCED BY THE PILOT, AND HIS INADVERTENT DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK, NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ATL92FA020
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ATL92FA020

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 11:21 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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