Piper PA-32R-301 N8173U

Summary

On 22 March 2004 at about 01:50 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301 registered N8173U was involved in an accident near Harlan, Kentucky, 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

22 March 2004 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Harlan, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Blue Grass Airport (LEX)

Coordinates

36.8396, -83.3196

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301

Registration

N8173U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Darlington → Lexington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC04FA092

6 people died.

The pilot's improper decision to continue VFR flight into IMC conditions and his failure to maintain terrain clearance, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Factors were night, snow and a low ceiling.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to departing on a night visual flight rules flight, the non-instrument rated pilot telephoned a flight service station and received a standard weather briefing. The briefing included information about cloud cover along portions of the route. Specifically, the cloud cover was described as solid broken to overcast with bases between 3,000 to 4,000 feet msl, and tops at 6,000 feet. The flight proceeded uneventfully through the Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) airspace, before it impact terrain, about 40 miles northwest of TRI. At the time of the accident, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at TRI. However, snowfall was reported in the mountainous area near the accident site. The wreckage was located at an elevation of 3,050 feet. Review of radar data revealed that the airplane was cruising in a northwesterly direction, at 4,500 feet msl. The last recorded radar return was approximately 6 miles southeast of the accident site.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.