Piper PA-23-160 N4370P

Summary

On 2 January 2006 at about 00:36 local time, a Piper PA-23-160 registered N4370P was involved in an accident near Phenix City, Alabama, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 January 2006 at 00:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Phenix City, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

32.4211, -85.2481

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-160

Registration

N4370P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brooksville → Winder Barrow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ATL06CA031

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate decision to continue VFR flight into IMC conditions, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was on a visual flight rules cross country flight when he began encountering instrument conditions. The pilot continued into the instrument conditions for about 30 minutes before asking Atlanta Approach Control for directions to the nearest airport for landing. The controller directed the pilot to two different nearby airports but both were below minimums. The pilot informed the controller that he was low on fuel and needed to land as soon as possible. The controller directed the pilot to the Columbus Metropolitan Airport, Columbus, Georgia. The pilot told the controllers that he would attempt an Instrument approach. The pilot attempted four unsuccessful approaches with the controllers talking him through each approach. On the fifth approach, at five miles from the runway the pilot stated that both engine's quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot called "mayday" and during the forced landing the airplane collided with trees and the ground separating the right wing, half of the left wing, and coming to rest inverted. The pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies with the airplane during the attempted approaches.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.