Piper PA-28-180 N9420J

Summary

On 20 November 1994 at about 22:55 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N9420J was involved in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, 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

20 November 1994 at 22:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Daytona Beach, Florida, United States

Coordinates

29.1896, -81.0493

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N9420J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Pierce → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA95FA023

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in instrument flight conditions during an instrument approach, resulting in the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, and a subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience in instrument and night flight conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was cleared by ATC for an ILS approach in instrument flight conditions. ATC terminated the approach when the airplane was observed on radar below the minimum altitude for that segment of the approach and 'S' turning through the final approach course. The pilot was vectored and cleared for an ASR approach. The airplane was observed on radar turning through the final approach course, and the pilot was provided with heading corrections which were not acknowledged. The airplane continued turning through the approach course, and radar contact was lost. The pilot's last recorded instrument flight was on September 15, 1989, an his last recorded night flight was on February 18, 1989.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.