Piper PA-60-600 N6069T

Summary

On 10 December 1994 at about 07:23 local time, a Piper PA-60-600 registered N6069T was involved in an accident near Colonie, New York, 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

10 December 1994 at 07:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Colonie, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.7397, -73.7407

Aircraft

Piper PA-60-600

Registration

N6069T

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boston → Buffalo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC95FA042

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, POSSIBLY FROM FALLING ASLEEP.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT AT NIGHT, CRUISING AT 6000 FT. ALSO, THE PILOT WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND WAS ON HIS 6TH FLIGHT AFTER REPORTING FOR DUTY AT 1530 EST. DURING A FREQUENCY CHANGE AND RADIO CHECK AT 0207 EST, THE PILOT'S RESPONSE WAS NORMAL. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT ABOUT 16 MINUTES LATER, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RIGHT TURN, THEN DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AT ABOUT 0222 EST AFTER ABOUT 255 DEGREES OF TURN. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN DESCENT; DEBRIS FROM THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND DOWN TO 6 FT BELOW THE SURFACE. DURING THE FINAL 15 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THERE WERE NO RADIO TRANSMISSIONS ON THE ASSIGNED FREQUENCY. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PROPELLER BLADES HAD S-CURVES OR WERE BENT FORWARD; THEY ALSO HAD LEADING EDGE IMPACT DAMAGE AND ROTATIONAL SCORING. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN IN EXCESS OF 120 HOURS (110 HRS AT NIGHT) IN THE PRECEDING 30 DAYS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT HE MAY HAVE LACKED CREW REST DURING THE DAY(S) BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.