Piper PA28-181 N30465

Summary

On 2 April 2007 at about 12:30 local time, a Piper PA28-181 registered N30465 was involved in an accident near New Tazewell, Tennessee, 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

2 April 2007 at 12:30

Classification

Accident

Location

New Tazewell, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

36.4056, -83.7506

Aircraft

Piper PA28-181

Registration

N30465

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wapakoneta → Pigeon Forge

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL07LA067

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the non-instrument rated pilot's continued flight from visual meteorological conditions into instrument meteorological conditions, and a low cloud ceiling.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to witnesses, the airplane was observed coming down out of the "clouds" and then climbing back up into the clouds. The second time they saw it come down out of the "clouds it was on its side" and then went out of site and they heard a loud crash. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have contributed to the accident. The pilot had accumulated less than 200 total hours, and was not instrument rated. He elected to continue his flight into instrument meteorological conditions and lost control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.