Piper PA-22-108 N5391Z

Summary

On 16 January 2001 at about 00:45 local time, a Piper PA-22-108 registered N5391Z, operated by Warner F. Hendrix, was involved in an accident near Falmouth, Massachusetts, 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

16 January 2001 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Falmouth, Massachusetts, United States

Coordinates

41.5606, -70.6191

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-108

Registration

N5391Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Warner F. Hendrix

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Norwood → North Kingstown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC01LA132

1 person died.

The pilot's improper decision to takeoff and attempt VFR flight in IMC conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot's wife, the pilot woke up early on the day of the accident, and flew to Lawrence, Massachusetts, to look at an airplane he was considering purchasing. She talked with the pilot about 1000. The pilot stated he had landed at Norwood, Massachusetts, due to snow and the poor weather conditions and that he had hoped to complete the flight before the weather moved into the area. At that time, the pilot stated he had called for a rental car and was waiting for it to arrive, so he could drive home. She next talked to the pilot about 1430, and was informed that he was still waiting for a rental car to arrive. She stated that the pilot was "very frustrated;" and they talked about him possibly renting a room at a local hotel. The pilot stated he would call her when the rental car arrived. At approximately 1612, the pilot requested a "special visual flight rules" (SVFR) clearance to depart the airport to the southwest. The controller noted that the ceiling was 400 feet overcast, and observed, " what appeared to be up to 2 inches of slush and snow on the airplane's wings and control surfaces." The controller denied the SVFR clearance and advised the pilot of the low ceilings and snow/slush contamination he observed on the airplane. However, the pilot departed, without a clearance and turned southwest. There were no further known communications with the airplane. Several residents reported seeing and/or hearing a low-flying airplane to local authorities. The last visual sighting, and radar contact with the airplane occurred between 1930 and 2000. The body of the pilot was located in Buzzards Bay, on May 27, 2001, and as of May 8, 2002, the airplane had not been located. The pilot was instrument rated and reported 15,000 hours of total flight experience on his most recent FAA second class medical certificate. The following weather was reported at an airport in Falmouth, Massachusetts, at 1855, a visibility of 1 1/2 miles in light rain and mist, and ceilings at 300 feet broken and 500 feet overcast; at 1955, a visibility of 1 1/2 miles in light rain and mist, and a ceiling of 800 feet overcast; at 2055, a visibility of 1 1/2 miles in light rain and mist, and a ceiling of 300 feet overcast.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.