Piper PA-30 N7123Y

Summary

On 8 March 1990 at about 14:48 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N7123Y, operated by Lowell B. Pete, was involved in an accident near Dayton, Tennessee, 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

8 March 1990 at 14:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayton, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.4902, -85.0095

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N7123Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Lowell B. Pete

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Crossville → Leesburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90FA074

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL USE OF AN AUTOPILOT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES. THE PILOT KNOWINGLY RELIED ON THIS AUTOPILOT WHICH MALFUNCTIONED IN FLIGHT AND RESULTED IN HIS BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTATED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT HAD REPORTED LEVEL AT 11,000 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, WHEN ATC REQUESTED HIS HEADING, HE RESPONDED THAT HE HAD AN AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION. ATC ASKED THE PILOT IF HE WANTED VECTORS. THE PILOT RESPONDED 'PLEASE.' THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED INTO A RIVER IN A STEEP ANGLE ALMOST DIRECTLY BELOW HIS LAST REPORTED POSITION. THE PILOT WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS, WHILE EN ROUTE TO HAVE AUTOPILOT MAINTENANCE. HE WAS KNOWN TO RELY ON HIS AUTOPILOT DURING IFR FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.