Piper PA-28-180D accident near Advance, NC
On March 12, 1998, a Piper PA-28-180D (airplane) was involved in an accident near Advance, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 12, 1998
- Place
- Advance, NC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180D · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.929°N, 80.400°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X09731
NTSB summary
History of the Flight On March 12, 1998, about 1810 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180D, N7826N, registered to a private individual, collided with trees while approaching to land on runway 27, at Twin Lakes Airport, Advance, North Carolina, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was fatally injured. The passenger received serious injuries. The flight last departed Chattanooga, Tennessee, the same day, about 1612. The passenger stated they flew west to east from Chattanooga to Advance. They approached with the airport to the left and turned onto final approach to land toward the west. Neither he nor the pilot were wearing sunglasses or had the aircraft's sun visor down. As they lined up with the runway, he looked out the front windshield and was blinded and disoriented by the sun. The sun was directly at the end of the runway, over the runway. He then realized he was looking at the runway through tree branches. They collided with the branches and he then felt a large impact. The pilot's body then came between himself and the instrument panel. He became unconscious and next awoke trapped in the wreckage. A witness reported hearing the engine of the aircraft accelerate to high power followed by the sound of the aircraft colliding with trees and crashing to the ground. A short time later, he found the wreckage of the aircraft at the edge of a wooded area near the runway. A pilot who depa
Probable cause
The pilot's improper planned visual approach and glide path in diminished visual conditions due to sun-glare and his delayed go-around resulting in the aircraft colliding with trees on final approach.
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Browse: North Carolina · 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.
