Piper PA-24-260 N9209P

Summary

On 3 February 1991 at about 00:14 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N9209P, operated by Carter, Richard C., was involved in an accident near Cordele, Georgia, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 February 1991 at 00:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Cordele, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Crisp-County Cordele (02J)

Coordinates

31.9597, -83.7709

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-260

Registration

N9209P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Carter, Richard C.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Locust Grove → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL91FA047

3 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARKNESS AND THE PILOT BECOMING LOST/DISORIENTED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FLYING TO AN AIRPORT TO PICK UP A FRIEND. NIGHT VMC PREVAILED. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL AT VARIOUS POSITIONS OVER THE CITY, VARYING HEADINGS, AND SOMETIMES CIRCLING. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT 'SEEMED LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING.' THE AIRPLANE THEN PROCEEDED TOWARD THE MIDFIELD POINT OF THE AIRPORT ON A NORTHERLY HEADING. IT COLLIDED WITH PINE TREES, THEN FELL INTO THE ROOF OF A CHURCH LOCATED 150 FEET FARTHER NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT, AND CHURCH, WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE 'LEFT AUX' TANK POSITION; HOWEVER, AUX TANKS WERE TO BE USED IN LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY. ACTUATOR SETTINGS INDICATED THE GEAR WAS DOWN & THE FLAPS WERE UP. PROP SIGNATURES INDICATED PROP ROTATION IN A POWER PRODUCING MODE AT IMPACT. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS FOR RWY 9/27 WERE ON AT THE TIME, AND THE AIRCRAFT'S NORTHERLY HEADING WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH ANY RUNWAY. THE LOCATION OF THE AIRPORT DID NOT REQUIRE THE CITY TO BE OVERFLOWN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.