Piper PA-30 N8398Y

Summary

On 6 January 1995 at about 01:54 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N8398Y was involved in an accident near Georgetown, Texas, 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

6 January 1995 at 01:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Georgetown, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.6391, -97.6806

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N8398Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Smith → Laredo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW95FA084

1 person died.

LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS TO LAREDO, TEXAS. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE AIR-FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN, RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE NEAR TEMPLE, TEXAS, AND REPORTED LEVEL AT 6000 FEET MSL. LATER, A FAINT 'MAYDAY' CALL WAS HEARD BY A SOUTHWEST AIRLINE PILOT, WHICH WAS REPORTED TO AUSTIN APPROACH CONTROL. APPROACH CONTROL LOST RADAR CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIRPLANE. AT ABOUT 0830 THE NEXT MORNING, THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS, WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A VERTICAL DESCENT. NEITHER OF THE PROPELLERS EXHIBITED TWISTING, TIP DAMAGE, OR ROTATIONAL SCARRING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINES DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY ANOMALIES THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR A LOSS OF POWER. A MEDICAL OFFICER (FOR TRAVIS COUNTY) REPORTED THAT IN HIS OPINION, THE PILOT MAY HAVE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.