Piper PA-28-140 N267PC

Summary

On 20 November 2022 at about 17:49 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N267PC was involved in an accident near Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 November 2022 at 17:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Rosecrans Meml (STJ)

Coordinates

39.7761, -94.9077

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N267PC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Perryville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA041

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot lost control of the airplane while on the ground due to temporary incapacitation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot recalled communicating with air traffic control (ATC) for his taxi clearance and did not recall any events after acknowledging the taxi clearance. An ATC controller issued taxi instructions and observed the airplane taxi to the run-up area. After completing the run-up, the pilot was instructed to contact the ATC tower. After no communications were received from the pilot, the controller attempted to initiate contact but there was no reply. Several attempts to contact the pilot via radio were unsuccessful, and the tower controller noticed the airplane had turned around in the run-up area. Based on the airplane’s repositioning, the controller assumed the pilot was looking for a light signal and issued a green light. When the airplane did not move, the controller made several more attempts to contact the pilot but there was no response. The controller then noticed that the airplane appeared to be taxiing back to the general aviation ramp; however, the airplane accelerated, departed the movement area into the grass, and impacted a perimeter fence.   Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Based on the witnessed circumstances of the accident, it is likely the accident was the result of the pilot’s temporary incapacitation. Postaccident medical care of the pilot revealed the pilot had an undiagnosed brain tumor. The incapacitation was possible due to a seizure trigged by the tumor, and it was also possible that the brain tumor was an incidental finding unrelated to incapacitation. The cause of the pilot’s incapacitation could not be definitively determined from available medical evidence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.