Piper PA-28-181 N30062

Summary

On 28 June 2010 at about 04:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N30062, operated by Berkshire Aviation Enterprises Inc, was involved in an accident near Great Barrington, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 June 2010 at 04:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Great Barrington, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Walter J Koladza Airport (GBR)

Coordinates

42.1936, -73.3908

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N30062

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Berkshire Aviation Enterprises Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Saratoga Spring → Great Barrington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ERA10CA337

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's attempted visual flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed his home airport at night, in fog, and returned on an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. He stated that the return flight was routine and the air traffic controller cleared him for the approach into the airport. The pilot then canceled his IFR clearance, descended visually, and entered a left traffic pattern to land. The pilot stated that he entered the downwind leg for a "tighter than normal" pattern to avoid the fog at the approach end of the runway; however, global positioning system data revealed a spiraling descent in the vicinity of the base leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot stated that not seeing the terrain surrounding the airport while having the airport in sight lulled him into the belief that he was on or near glide path when, in fact, he was much lower, causing the controlled flight into terrain. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing and left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. Airports 15 miles north and 10 miles west each reported ceilings less than 100 feet, and visibility less than a half mile, and witnesses surrounding the airport described the fog as heavy with visibility of less than 100 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.