Piper PA-30 N555EM

Summary

On 4 April 2007 at about 13:37 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N555EM was involved in an accident near Trappe, Maryland, 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

4 April 2007 at 13:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Trappe, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

38.6150, -76.0428

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N555EM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

White Plains → Southern Pines

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07FA091

3 people died.

The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the thunderstorm.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route to his destination, the pilot flew through an area of rain and thunderstorms. He reported to air traffic control (ATC) that he was using "weather radar" onboard the airplane, which updated every five minutes, to deviate around the weather. As the airplane was exiting the weather, the pilot reported he was turning direct toward his destination. As the airplane was in a gradual right turn, the pilot reported that he "lost attitude," and shortly thereafter, the left wing separated from the airplane. The pilot did receive a weather briefing prior to the flight, which included advisories and a convective significant meteorological information (SIGMET) for thunderstorms along his route. According to the pilot's logbook, he had accumulated 4,000 hours of total flight experience, which included 167 hours of actual instrument experience. In the previous 90 days, he accumulated 1.5 hours of actual instrument experience. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.