Piper PA-32R-300 N4085F

Summary

On 29 March 2011, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N4085F was involved in an accident near Fredricktown, Missouri, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 March 2011

Classification

Accident

Location

Fredricktown, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

37.5122, -90.5333

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N4085F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palm Coast → Eau Claire

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN11FA263

3 people died.

The pilot's decision to attempt to maintain visual flight by descending below an area of deteriorating forecast weather to an altitude that did not provide adequate terrain clearance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was reported missing and global positioning system data showed that it descended below 1,700 feet mean sea level (msl) 11 nautical miles south-southwest of the accident site. The airplane impacted rising terrain at an elevation of about 1,353 feet msl while on a north-northeasterly heading. The airplane configuration and the wreckage path were consistent with an impact while the airplane was in cruise flight. The pilot was not instrument rated, and the airplane's descent was likely the pilot's attempt at maintaining visual conditions at night by flying below a forecast ceiling. The pilot's airman medical certificate issued in 2007 had expired. He had disqualifying heart disease that had not been reported to or evaluated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilot's recent flight experience and the airplane's maintenance history could not be determined due to the unavailability of current logbooks. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.