Piper PA-32-260 N3701W

Summary

On 16 August 1994 at about 17:42 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N3701W, operated by William H Peoples, was involved in an accident near Front Royal, Virginia, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 1994 at 17:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Front Royal, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.9205, -78.1805

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N3701W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

William H Peoples

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fredericksburg → Delaware

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO94FA144

5 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE, HIS IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION AND HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) WHICH RESULTED IN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. THE HIGH TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT INDICATED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 11.5 MILES SOUTH OF FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA, AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2400 FEET. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS EVIDENT. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE CRASH; HOWEVER, AN AUDITORY WITNESS HEARD THE AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW OVER THE MOUNTAINS. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING, AND THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPLANE AS THE CLOUDS HAD OBSCURED THE MOUNTAINS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.