Piper PA-31-325 N120JB

Summary

On 14 December 2000 at about 18:03 local time, a Piper PA-31-325 registered N120JB was involved in an accident near Belvidere, 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

14 December 2000 at 18:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Belvidere, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

36.2600, -76.5293

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-325

Registration

N120JB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vero Beach → Edenton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA01FA043

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control due to spatial disorientation while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions resulting in the airplane entering a descending turn and crashing into terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions and was observed on radar making climbing and descending turns prior to making a final descending turn and being lost from radar. Examination of the crash site showed the airplane had impacted the terrain in a about a 90-degree nose down attitude. The crash site was about .09 miles from the last radar contact, when the airplane was 2,000 feet above ground level. Post crash examination of the airplane structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, and airplane systems showed no evidence of pre-crash failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.