Piper PA-28R-200 N15743

Summary

On 5 July 1995 at about 08:16 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N15743, operated by Richard E. Bernstein, was involved in an accident near Raleigh, North Carolina, 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

5 July 1995 at 08:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Raleigh-Durham Intl (RDU)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N15743

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard E. Bernstein

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albany → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL95FA128

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to follow proper IFR procedures by descending below the decision height. Factors relating to the accident were the 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

THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY AIRPORT, LOUISBURG, NC, FOLLOWING TWO RADAR APPROACHES AND TWO INSTRUMENT APPROACHES DUE TO THE LOW CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY. HE THEN DIVERTED TO RALEIGH-DURHAM AIRPORT FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACH. ACCORDING TO RECORDED RADAR DATA, THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRCRAFT DEVIATED FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE CENTERLINE FOR MOST OF THE APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 23L AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET MSL. THE DECISION HEIGHT FOR THE ILS RUNWAY 23L APPROACH IS 636 FEET MSL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.