Piper PA-24-250 N5587P

Summary

On 6 February 2003 at about 23:53 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N5587P was involved in an accident near Florence, South Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 February 2003 at 23:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Florence, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

34.2792, -79.7597

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N5587P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ormond Beach → Bennettsville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ATL03FA041

3 people died.

The pilot experienced spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of control and the subsequent collision with the ground. A factors was dark night and clouds.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a cross-country instrument flight at 5,300 feet the pilot radioed that he was having difficulty maintaining altitude. The air traffic controller reported the lost of radar and radio contact with the airplane at 1853. Local authorities were notified, and launched a ground and air search for the downed airplane. The airplane wreckage was located in a wooded area at 0815 on February 7, 2003. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any airframe or mechanical malfunctions. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular #60-4A: during periods of low visibility a pilot is particularly vulnerable to spatial disorientation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.