Piper PA-32-301 N4353Y

Summary

On 20 October 2002 at about 19:30 local time, a Piper PA-32-301 registered N4353Y was involved in an accident near Paron, Arkansas, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 October 2002 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Paron, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

34.7919, -92.7531

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-301

Registration

N4353Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hot Springs → Cape Girardeau

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03FA016

6 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain. Contributing factors were the low ceiling, the pilot's decision to fly in known adverse weather conditions, and his lack of an instrument rating.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to departure the non-instrument rated pilot contacted the Automated Flight Service Station and requested an en route weather briefing. The Specialist advised the pilot there was an Airmet currently valid for instrument flight rule conditions over the route of flight, but that conditions would be improving to marginal visual flight rule conditions later in the day. A witness, who resides 1 mile north of the accident site, went outside when he heard a small plane flying over his house at a low altitude. The witness said he heard changes in the sound of the engine but said it did not sound like it was cutting out, and that it was getting lower. On site documentation revealed that the aircraft collided with several trees. Post-accident examinations of the aircraft did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.