Piper PA34 N1101X

Summary

On 20 May 2018 at about 18:23 local time, a Piper PA34 registered N1101X was involved in an accident near Bennington, Vermont, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 2018 at 18:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Bennington, Vermont, United States

Coordinates

42.9239, -73.1392

Aircraft

Piper PA34

Registration

N1101X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burlington → Oxford

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18FA148

1 person died.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during a turn.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After receiving commercial and flight instructor certificates with a designated pilot examiner (DPE), the instrument-rated commercial pilot planned to fly back to his home airport the following day. The DPE reviewed weather with the pilot and advised him to delay the flight 2 days due to poor weather; however, the following day, the pilot attempted the visual flight rules flight in instrument meteorological conditions with mountain obscuration. Before departing on the flight, the pilot received three weather briefings and all three contained information regarding instrument flight rules conditions with mountain obscuration. The pilot was receiving flight following services from air traffic control, while proceeding southeast, in clouds, below the minimum vectoring altitude, near mountainous terrain. The controller suggested a westbound turn for lower terrain and continued radar coverage. The airplane briefly turned to a westbound heading, then turned back to a southeast heading. About 4 miles later, the controller again advised the pilot that, if he continued on the present heading, radar coverage would be lost. The pilot asked again what heading he should fly and the controller responded westbound, to which the pilot responded, "westbound heading 270." Radar and radio contact were lost during the second westbound turn. The last radar target indicated an altitude of 3,500 ft msl and groundspeed of 218 knots about 1,000 ft from the accident site, which was located at an elevation about 2,625 ft msl. Examination of the accident site revealed a 60-ft debris path on a 265° course through trees, consistent with a 45° nose-down attitude at impact. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot had entered clouds and was trying to fly clear of clouds. The conditions were conducive to the development of spatial disorientation; however, the extent to which spatial disorientation played a role could not be determined as the descent could have also been the result of an uncoordinated turn or distraction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.