Piper PA 23 N2146P

Summary

On 31 December 2018 at about 00:48 local time, a Piper PA 23 registered N2146P was involved in an accident near Beaver Island, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 December 2018 at 00:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaver Island, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Beaver Island (SJX)

Coordinates

45.6847, -85.5744

Aircraft

Piper PA 23

Registration

N2146P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Beaver Island → Charlotte

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN19LA051

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain a positive rate of climb after takeoff which resulted in an impact with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to see a visible horizon due to the dark night lighting conditions and limited ground lights in the vicinity of the airport.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instrument, multi-engine rated private pilot was departing into dark night visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The airport was located in an area with minimal ground lighting with no discernable horizon visible after takeoff. Witnesses heard the airplane take off toward the west and subsequently turn to the north. They described the sound of the engines as "very loud." One witness added that the engines seemed to be operating normally. Another witness noted that the sound changed to a lower pitch similar to when a pilot transitions to climb power after takeoff. The sound ended abruptly when the airplane impacted a wooded area about 1/3 mile from the airport on a north-northeasterly heading. Examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. It is possible that the pilot experienced some level spatial disorientation which led to a loss of control and impact with the trees and terrain. However, it is also possible that the pilot became distracted configuring the airplane for climb during the initial turn after takeoff which led to the airplane entering an inadvertent descent and controlled flight into terrain. This scenario is consistent with the witness statement noting a transition to climb power immediately after takeoff. In addition, the earwitness reports did not describe a typical loss-of-control event. The lack of a visible horizon due to the dark night lighting conditions and lack of ground lights in the vicinity of the airport would have contributed to either scenario.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.