Piper PA-23 N1180P

Summary

On 29 July 2008 at about 18:53 local time, a Piper PA-23 registered N1180P, operated by Duane Moorer, was involved in an accident near Highlands, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 July 2008 at 18:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Highlands, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.0075, -83.2103

Aircraft

Piper PA-23

Registration

N1180P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Duane Moorer

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisville → Hazlehurst

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08FA260

2 people died.

The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and intensity information to the pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The professional airline pilot had just purchased the personal airplane, and the accident flight was his first flight in it. Prior to departing on the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot received a weather briefing which included warnings for severe convective activity. While enroute, the pilot was in contact with air traffic control and indicated he was deviating around weather. The controller initially described the radar-observed precipitation correctly to the pilot. However, when the pilot decided to deviate toward a different area of extreme weather, the controller described it only as "a buildup," which was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration directives. By the time the pilot elected to reverse course, the airplane was in the vicinity of extreme-levels of precipitation. A ground witness observed the airplane fly into an area of "dark clouds", and then break apart in-flight. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.