Piper PA-28RT-201 N8164H

Summary

On 27 August 2005 at about 01:15 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 registered N8164H was involved in an accident near Dunkirk, New York, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 August 2005 at 01:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dunkirk, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.6647, -79.3094

Aircraft

Piper PA-28RT-201

Registration

N8164H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Zelienople → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

IAD05FA146

3 people died.

Loss of control for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident airplane approached the Niagara Falls area from the south, and completed four 360-degree turns in the vicinity of the falls. The pilot then contacted air traffic control and requested VFR flight following services for the return trip. The airplane established an approximate southwesterly ground track and proceeded directly over the open waters of Lake Erie. About 4 minutes after crossing the shoreline, the airplane began to drift from its established course. The airplane turned to and away from the course before it began a 270-degree turn and disappeared from radar. During the final portion of the flight the airplane's altitude varied between 4,400 feet and 4,700 feet. Examination of visible satellite images taken just before dark revealed the presence of haze over Lake Erie, and infrared satellite images taken around the time of the accident revealed that clouds existed with tops between 5,000 and 6,000 feet. Examination of upper air data and high-resolution computer model soundings showed a possible cloud layer between 4,200 and 8,400 feet. Additionally, the sun had set more than an hour prior to the accident, and the moon did not rise until 2 1/2 hours after the accident. Toxicological testing performed on the pilot revealed levels of volatiles consistent with post-mortem ethanol production. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.