Piper PA32R N38523

Summary

On 24 July 2018 at about 09:21 local time, a Piper PA32R registered N38523 was involved in an accident near Lincolnton, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 July 2018 at 09:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Lincolnton, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Lincolnton-Lincoln County Rgnl (IPJ)

Coordinates

35.4847, -81.1658

Aircraft

Piper PA32R

Registration

N38523

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lincolnton → Oshkosh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ERA18FA197

2 people died.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's intentional visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to complete the flight as planned.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated private pilot and one passenger departed on a personal cross-country visual flight rules flight in dark night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) that included 1 1/2 statute miles visibility in mist and an overcast cloud layer 200 ft above ground level. The pilot did not obtain an official weather briefing before departing on the flight, and what preflight weather information he may have obtained could not be determined. Onboard data indicated that the airplane departed, entered a climbing left turn to a downwind leg for the runway, and about 1 minute after takeoff, entered a rapid left turning descent that continued to ground contact.Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The restricted visibility due to the dark night and instrument conditions was conducive to the development of spatial disorientation, and the airplane's flight track was consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. According to a family member, the pilot stated that he was going to attend an air show and had planned to leave early in the morning for "a window of good weather." Despite not being instrument rated, the pilot likely chose to depart due to his self-induced pressure to complete the flight as planned. It is likely that the pilot's decision to depart into IMC resulted in his spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.