Piper PA-28-180 N2820T

Summary

On 4 November 1998, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N2820T, operated by Walter D. Barker, was involved in an accident near Robbinsville, 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

4 November 1998

Classification

Accident

Location

Robbinsville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Andrews-Murphy (K6A3)

Coordinates

35.3897, -83.9206

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N2820T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Walter D. Barker

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Portsmouth → Andrews

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL99FA136

1 person died.

"THIS CASE WAS CHANGED FROM ATL05FA014." The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue VFR flight into IMC, which resulted in an in-flight encounter with weather and controlled flight into terrain. Factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and decision-making.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

"THIS CASE WAS CHANGED FROM ATL05FA014." The non-instrument rated private pilot received an automated flight service station (AFSS) weather briefing for an intended visual flight rules (VFR) direct flight at 6,500 feet over mountainous terrain. After receiving the weather briefing, which included AIRMETs for IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, icing, and low en route cloud ceilings, as well as the advisory, "VFR flight not recommended," the pilot amended his filed altitude to 4,500 feet. The amended altitude was higher than some forecasted cloud ceilings and lower than some of the terrain on the pilot's filed route, and the pilot's filed alternate airport was in mountainous terrain. After takeoff, the pilot did not activate the flight plan or establish radio contact with any air traffic control (ATC) facilities. ATC radar data showed a primary target, presumed to be the accident flight, which was first detected about 2 nm south of the departure airport and continued generally direct toward the destination. Mode C data associated with the primary targets did not begin until about an hour later and continued for 26 minutes. Mode C data were lost when the target was about 15 nm north of the Knoxville Class C airspace at an altitude of 4,600 feet. The airplane was missing for 6 years until is was located by hunters in a heavily wooded mountainous area at an elevation of about 3,300 feet. The accident site was about 12.3 nm north of the destination airport, and about 47.7 nm south of the last Mode C return. Wreckage debris was scattered about 275 feet along an approximate 170-degree magnetic heading from a cluster of trees with uniformly broken tops. Broken tree evidence and impact evidence on the airframe were consistent with level, controlled flight into trees and terrain. Examination of the engine, airframe, and components revealed no evidence of pre-crash malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.