PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA, USA
N5512Y
PIPER PA-23-250
THE PILOT OBTAINED WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE TV PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND USED LORAN AS A MEANS OF NAVIGATION TO HIS DESTINATION. HE SAID HE OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT AND THEN EXTENDED SEVERAL MILES. WHILE MANEUVERING TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE FLEW INTO RISING TERRAIN, STRIKING TREES. A WITNESS WHO HEARD THE CRASH DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AS FOGGY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH VISIBILITY BETWEEN 100 AND 200 FEET. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS MANEUVERING AT 3000 FEET, HOWEVER, HE STRUCK A RIDGE AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 FOOT. THE PILOT SAID THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD MAINTAINED A HIGHER ALTITUDE OVER THE SCATTERED CLOUDS.
INTENTIONAL FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN A INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH RISING TERRAIN, WHICH WAS OBSCURED BY FOG. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOTS EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
