Piper PA-31T N602RM

Summary

On 1 July 1999 at about 18:02 local time, a Piper PA-31T registered N602RM was involved in an accident near Deerfield, Virginia, 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

1 July 1999 at 18:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Deerfield, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Shenandoah Valley Regiona (SHD)

Coordinates

38.1907, -79.3990

Aircraft

Piper PA-31T

Registration

N602RM

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jonesboro → Weyer's Cave

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC99FA163

1 person died.

Loss of control of the airplane due to pilot incapacitation following a heart attack.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was descending the airplane from 23,000 feet for an instrument approach. All communications were normal until after he acknowledged an instruction to contact approach control, when radio contact was lost. Radar contact ceased at 11,300 feet due to radar signal reception difficulties. Contact was lost almost directly over the eventual impact site, which was on the eastern side of a small valley. Witnesses on the western side of the valley had seen the airplane flying near them, at treetop level, eastbound, and clear of clouds. About the same time, on the eastern side of the valley where the airplane would impact trees, then terrain, there was heavy rain. The commercial pilot had about 1,850 total flight hours, and had completed a 'Wings III' flight proficiency program and an instrument proficiency program about two months earlier. The airplane had been on a continuous maintenance program. At the accident site, all of the airplane's control surfaces were found, and the engines and propellers displayed signatures consistent with being under power at impact. There were insufficient remains to conduct an autopsy or toxicological testing. Previously, the pilot's father, two uncles, and a male cousin had suffered fatal heart attacks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.