Piper PA-24-250 accident near Lexington, VA
On August 30, 2000, a Piper PA-24-250 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lexington, VA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 30, 2000
- Place
- Lexington, VA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.779°N, 79.440°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X21826
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 30, 2000, about 1730 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6411P, was destroyed during an in-flight break-up and collision with the ground in Lexington, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that departed the Eastern West Virginia Regional/Shepherd Airport (MRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia, destined for the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), Columbia, South Carolina. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot's brother-in-law, the airplane was based at Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The pilot departed FRG about 1400, with the intent of visiting family members who lived in Boca Raton, Florida. He did not know the pilot's proposed route of flight. According to an airframe and powerplant mechanic who was based at the Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida, the pilot had called him about 1 week before the accident to schedule an annual inspection for the airplane, to be conducted during the pilot's stay in Florida. At that time, the pilot informed him that the airplane's annual inspection had expired. The mechanic informed the pilot that he would need to obtain a ferry permit, and he replied he would "take care of that." The next time the mechanic spoke to the pilot was on the day of the accident, about 1345, when the pilot called to tell him that he was "on his way." According to a transcript provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a
Probable cause
The pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in spatial disorientation. A factor in this accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
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.
