Piper PA-31P N125TT

Summary

On 18 March 2002 at about 04:06 local time, a Piper PA-31P registered N125TT was involved in an accident near Daleville, Indiana, 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

18 March 2002 at 04:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Daleville, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Anderson Municipal-Darlington (AID)

Coordinates

40.0950, -85.5336

Aircraft

Piper PA-31P

Registration

N125TT

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

La Grange → Anderson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CHI02FA094

2 people died.

The pilots failure to maintain control of the airplane during the instrument approach. The low overcast ceiling and the pilot's in-flight decision to execute the instrument approach in below minimum weather conditions were factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire, when it impacted the ground about 3.7 miles from the destination airport. The airplane had been cleared for an ILS approach to the airport. No anomalies were found during the on-scene examination of the airframe, engine or gyroscopic flight instruments that could be associated with a pre-existing condition. The minimum descent altitude for the approach is 243 feet above ground level. The inbound course for the instrument approach is 298 degrees magnetic. The radar data shows that the airplane headed in a northerly direction prior to commencing a left turn onto the inbound course of the instrument approach. The last radar return, was received prior to the airplane reaching the locator outer marker for the approach. Altitude returns show the airplane descending from a pressure altitude of 4,000 feet to a pressure altitude of 2,800 feet. The 2,800-foot return was the final return received. The wreckage path was distributed on a magnetic heading of approximately 145 degrees. The weather reporting station located at the destination airport recorded a 100 foot overcast ceiling with 1 statute mile of visibility about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The current weather was available to the pilot via the Automated Weather Observing System at the destination airport. No communications were received from the airplane after controllers authorized the pilot to change to the destination airport's advisory frequency.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.