Piper PA-28-161 N44899

Summary

On 23 February 1994 at about 01:09 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N44899 was involved in an accident near Inverness, Florida, 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

23 February 1994 at 01:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Inverness, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.8300, -82.2709

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N44899

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Savannah → Tampa

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA94FA078

1 person died.

The pilot-in-command's lack of total experience in instrument flight, simulated instrument flight, and night flight resulting in the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the dark night with no visible horizon.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AT 8,500 FEET AGL FLIGHT FOLLOWING WITH JACKSONVILLE CENTER. THE PILOT REQUESTED TO DESCEND TO 4,500 FEET. THE REQUEST WAS APPROVED, AND THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT DESCENDED THROUGH HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PILOT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCEND THROUGH THE CLOUDS, AND MAKE A HARD RIGHT TURN ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 45 DEGREEES WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING BEFORE THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY AN IMPACT, AND SUBSEQUENT TOTAL SILENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.