Piper PA-24 N7120P

Summary

On 8 November 1991 at about 02:00 local time, a Piper PA-24 registered N7120P, operated by Koger, Bobby B., was involved in an accident near Engelhard, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 November 1991 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Engelhard, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Hyde County (7W6)

Coordinates

35.5407, -76.0202

Aircraft

Piper PA-24

Registration

N7120P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Koger, Bobby B.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Knightdale

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL92FA020

1 person died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.