GREENVILLE, NC, USA
N2259T
PIPER PA-32-260
THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD STATED TO A FORMER INSTRUCTOR THAT HE NEEDED THE INSTRUMENT RATING TO AVOID GETTING STUCK ON TRIPS. FURTHER, HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HIS FAMILY & FRIENDS WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED, IF THIS TRIP WAS CANCELLED OR DELAYED. AT 0621 EDT, THE WEATHER WAS, IN PART: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, CEILING 200 FEET OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 1/4 MILE WITH FOG, WIND CALM. AT 0641 EDT (2 MIN AFTER THE ACDNT), THE VISIBILITY HAD DROPPED TO ZERO. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 25, THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET. IT THEN CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ABOUT 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTER LINE & ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT CENTER. IT WAS IN A STEEP LEFT BANK, WHEN IT CRASHED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE PLANE WAS FOUND, THOUGH IT WAS NEARLY CONSUMED BY POST-IMPACT FIRE.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKEOFF AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO MAKE THE FLIGHT, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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