Piper PA-23-250 N62635

Summary

On 21 October 2009 at about 10:24 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N62635 was involved in an accident near Summerville, South Carolina, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 October 2009 at 10:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Summerville, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Summerville Airport (DYB)

Coordinates

33.0597, -80.2811

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N62635

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Summerville → Ft. Pierce

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ERA10FA024

4 people died.

Flight into terrain for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an early morning departure, prior to sunrise, the aircraft impacted trees and terrain immediately after takeoff. Witnesses reported the sound of the engines were loud, although they did not observe the airplane take off. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engines revealed no mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation. The damage to both propeller assemblies was consistent with impact and fire damage. Although the forward baggage door had a gouge mark, it was not consistent with a baggage door coming in contact with a propeller blade in flight. The circumstances of the accident are potentially consistent with an incapacitating event involving this pilot, particularly, given evidence of coronary artery disease during the postmortem examination, or with spatial disorientation given the circumstances of the flight. The pilot was taking off during dark lighting conditions, over a dark unpopulated area. The absence of external visual cues and the accelerations associated with the takeoff and initial climb could have led to erroneous sensations of the airplane’s attitude which, if not effectively managed by the pilot, could explain the circumstances of the accident. There is insufficient evidence, however, to allow a conclusive determination as to which scenario, if either, actually occurred.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.