Piper PA-23-250 N63942

Summary

On 13 October 2003 at about 23:57 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N63942, operated by Gordon Larimore Gray III (president Air Mango Ltd), was involved in an accident near Cordesville, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 October 2003 at 23:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Cordesville, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Charleston International (KCHS)

Coordinates

33.1608, -79.8350

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N63942

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Gordon Larimore Gray III (president Air Mango Ltd)

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

East Hampton → Charleston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ATL04FA016

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent into trees and the ground. A factor was physical impairment.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight was cleared to descend to 3,000 feet, the pilot acknowledged, and no further radio communication was received from the pilot. Radar data showed the last recorded position for the flight was approximately 20 miles northeast of the airport at 2,900 feet, then the target disappeared from radar. Two witnesses approximately two nautical miles east of the accident site reported hearing what sounded like "back fire," "fireworks," and "crackling." One witness reported he saw the airplane flying west over the treeline, then he heard the sound of an impact. The wreckage was found in a heavily wooded area amid charred trees and burned pine straw, the engines were embedded approximately five feet in the ground, and the chordline of the wings was approximately perpendicular to the ground. Examination of the airframe and engines revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction was observed. The toxicology report for the pilot stated "bupropion, bupropion metabolite, sertraline, and desmethylsertraline were detected in the liver, and bupropion metabolite and sertraline were detected in the kidney." A review of medical records maintained by the pilot's physician revealed the pilot had been prescribed drugs containing bupropion (Wellbutrin) and sertraline (Zoloft) to treat symptoms of depression. A physician's note dated July 14, 2003, stated, "Doing very well on Zoloft ... and Wellbutrin ... . Depression - stable." The records also revealed the pilot had a history of atrial fibrillation and was prescribed the drug sotalol. The pilot reported none of his medical diagnoses or medications on any applications for FAA Airman Medical Certificate.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.