Piper PA-31P-350 accident near Cedar Bluff, VA
On June 15, 1995, a Piper PA-31P-350 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cedar Bluff, VA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 15, 1995
- Place
- Cedar Bluff, VA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31P-350 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.011°N, 81.811°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03625
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 14, 1995, at about 2154 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-31P-350, N922DC, disappeared from the Atlanta, Georgia, Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) radar tracking system. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The wreckage was located near Cedar Bluff, Virginia. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The business flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Nashville, Tennessee at 2034 and the intended destination was Lancaster, Pennsylvania. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control (ATC) records, at 1820 the pilot contacted Nashville, Tennessee (BNA) Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS). The pilot filed an IFR flight plan from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Nashville, then filed another flight plan from Nashville to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The BNA AFSS personnel issued a complete weather briefing. He advised the pilot of severe weather along his intended route of flight, and relayed two updated SIGMETs, and flight precautions for turbulence. (For details, see excerpts from ATC package section.) ATC records indicate that at 1954, the pilot contacted BNA air traffic control tower (ATCT) and requested and received the IFR clearance to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At 2034, the airplane departed Nashville, and was cleared to climb and maintain 11,000 feet mean sea level (MSL.) According to ATC transcripts, at 2050, the pilot requested and received clearance to 17,000 feet
Probable cause
the pilot's improper planning/decision, and his allowing the airplane to exceed its maximum design/stress limitation. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, and the pilot's continued flight into adverse weather.
More accidents in VA
- Boeing 757-200, Sep 11, 2001
- Beech B99, Sep 23, 1985
- Beech 65, Sep 10, 1995
- Beech 200, Oct 24, 2004
- Piper PA-31-310, Nov 14, 1982
Browse: Virginia · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
