Piper PA-32-260 N31953

Summary

On 9 October 1992 at about 00:28 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N31953, operated by TAR Heel Railroad Inc., was involved in an accident near Pulaski, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 October 1992 at 00:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Pulaski, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.0498, -80.7604

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N31953

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

TAR Heel Railroad Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Williamson → Winston-Salem

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC93FA012

2 people died.

THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ACTIONS OF THE RADAR CONTROLLER WHOSE VECTORS AND NO-GYRO VECTORS MOST LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE PILOT'S DISORIENTATION, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE DARK NIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT 1930, THE PLT CONTACTED FSS & REQUESTED DESTINATION WX. HE WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. AT 2017, HE CONTACTED ATC CENTER & REPORTED THAT HE '...RAN INTO A LITTLE SOUP...' AT 2020, HE REPORTED 'I'VE LOST UH MY TURN INDICATOR...' THE NON-PILOT-RATED ATC CONTROLLER THEN BEGAN PROVIDING NO-GYRO VECTORS TO THE PILOT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTROLLER DID NOT PROVIDE THE MINIUM VECTORING ALTITUDE TO THE PILOT. AT 2028, THE PILOT REPORTED '...WE'RE HAVING SOME...TROUBLE...' THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED COMING DOWN AT ABOUT A 45 DEG ANGLE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.