Piper PA-30B N7972Y

Summary

On 24 February 1995 at about 22:50 local time, a Piper PA-30B registered N7972Y was involved in an accident near Franklin, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 February 1995 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Franklin, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

MacOn County Airport (1A5)

Coordinates

35.1794, -83.3801

Aircraft

Piper PA-30B

Registration

N7972Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sarasota → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL95FA054

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED RESULTING IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. A FACTOR WAS SUNGLARE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT REQUESTED LANDING ADVISORIES; RUNWAY 7 WAS THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED A FINAL APPROACH FOR THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE MID-FIELD POINT, AND ONLY SEVERAL FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT EXECUTED A SLIGHT CLIMB. THE CLIMB CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END RUNWAY 25. AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND 700 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 25, AND BURNED. AT THE TIME OF THE APPROACH, THE SUN WAS ON THE WESTERN HORIZON. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED THAT WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA 90 FEET LONG AND 40 FEET WIDE. THE POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRFRAME CENTER SECTION AND EMPENNAGE. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.