Piper PA-46-310P N444JH

Summary

On 10 April 2007 at about 21:03 local time, a Piper PA-46-310P registered N444JH, operated by Ernest M. Kollmann, was involved in an accident near Bird Cay, Bahamas. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 April 2007 at 21:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Bird Cay, Bahamas

Coordinates

25.3628, -77.6258

Aircraft

Piper PA-46-310P

Registration

N444JH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ernest M. Kollmann

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nassau → Fort Lauderdale

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA07LA073

2 people died.

The pilot's poor in-flight weather evaluation, which resulted in flight into a level 6 thunderstorm.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot obtained two data user access terminal service (DUATS) preflight weather briefings for the intended flight from the U.S. to Nassau, Bahamas; the briefings included information that thunderstorms were forecasted. The pilot did not request a weather briefing with DUATS or Lockheed Martin flight service station before departure on the return accident flight. Although there was no way to tell whether he received a preflight weather briefing with Nassau Flight Service Station before departure on the accident flight, thunderstorms with associated severe turbulence were forecasted for the accident area well in advance of the aircraft's departure, and would have been available had the pilot requested/obtained a preflight weather briefing. After takeoff, and while in contact with Nassau terminal radar approach control, which had inoperative primary radar, the flight climbed to approximately 8,000 feet mean sea level and proceeded on a northwesterly heading with little deviation. The airplane, which was equipped with color weather radar and a stormscope, penetrated level 6 radar returns with numerous lightning strikes in the area, and began a steep descent. Prior to that there was no request by the pilot to air traffic control for weather avoidance assistance or weather deviation. Radar and radio communications were lost, and the wreckage and occupants were not recovered.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.