Piper PA-28-140 N5246T

Summary

On 8 March 2002 at about 04:22 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N5246T, operated by Harry V. Cockrell, was involved in an accident near Niles, Michigan, 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

8 March 2002 at 04:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Niles, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Jerry Tyler Meml (3TR)

Coordinates

41.8167, -86.2172

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N5246T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harry V. Cockrell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Niles → Danville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CHI02FA088

1 person died.

Flight into known adverse weather conditions by the pilot and the spatial disorientation of pilot. Contributing factors were the lack of certification by the pilot and the weather conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane, piloted by a noninstrument rated private pilot, impacted a snow covered wooded area approximately five minutes after departure. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane and accident pilot were flown to the departure airport by an instrument rated pilot under an instrument flight rules clearance in instrument meteorological conditions. After landing, the instrument rated pilot exited the airplane, and the accident pilot then took off. The instrument rated pilot then departed in another airplane approximately 10 minutes later. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.