Piper PA-28-RT201 N2380U
20 March 2001 · Manassas, Virginia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 20 March 2001 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-RT201 registered N2380U was involved in an accident near Manassas, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 00:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Manassas, Virginia, United States
- Nearest airport
- Manassas Regional Airport (HEF)
- Coordinates
- 38.7136, -77.5075
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-RT201
- Registration
- N2380U
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Leonardtown → Manassas
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- IAD01FA038
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's spatial disorientation due to a night visual illusion. A factor was the dark night condition.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane was on a visual approach to the runway 38 minutes after official sunset, with no moon. The airplane approached the airport over rural, heavily wooded terrain that produced low levels of ambient light. Examination of radar data revealed the airplane approached the airport at 120 knots groundspeed, but descended at 1,200 feet per minute. The airplane struck trees and crashed less than 1/2 mile from the approach end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the instrument lighting rheostat was in the full bright position, and that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. The pilot recorded two takeoffs and landings at night about 1 year prior to the accident. Previous to that, the pilot had not flown at night for 7 years. Examination of the environmental conditions at the time of the accident revealed that they were conducive to a "black hole approach", a night visual illusion that results in low approaches, and landings prior to the runway.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov 2001 | Piper PA-28-180 | Mansfield, Ohio, United States | Monroe Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Aug 2001 | Piper PA-28-235 | Crestline, Kansas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Aug 2001 | Piper PA-28-161 | Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Piper PA-28-181 | Sedona, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jun 2001 | Piper PA-28-181 | Lytle Creek, California, United States | Air Desert Pacific | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Piper PA-28-181 | Bloomington, Illinois, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
All 9,402 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Nov 2001 | Cessna 172S | Leesburg, Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 May 2001 | Cessna U206E | New Market, Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 30 Aug 2001 | Embraer ERJ-135ER | Richmond, Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Sep 2001 | Andre MINI MAX 1500R | Chesapeake, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 2001 | Boeing 757-200 | Arlington, Virginia, United States | American Airlines | Fatal | 64 |
| 29 Sep 2001 | Von Claparede Clemen PRECEPTOR-ULTRA | Dublin, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |