Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO
On July 20, 2002, a Piper PA-32RT-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. 5 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 20, 2002
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 5 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.635°N, 72.862°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020726X01236
Official records · ATL02LA144
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Service Record of Operations: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Factual Report of Investigation: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 1 - Controller Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 2 - ATC Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 20, 2002, at 0600 eastern daylight time a Piper PA-32RT-300, N9738C, registered to Lexanna Aircraft Inc., and operated by the private pilot encountered level 4 thunderstorms and collided into the Atlantic Ocean, 15 miles west of Freeport, Bahamas. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries, two passengers including a pilot rated passenger were never recovered and are presumed fatal, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated from Freeport, Bahamas, on July 20, 2002, at 0535, enroute to Palm Beach International Airport in Palm Beach, Florida. A recorded interphone communications from the Miami Air route Traffic Control Center, Freeport Low Radar Controller and the Freeport Approach Control Controller indicated that a short discussion took place to coordinate the departure for N9738C, from Freeport-Grand Bahamas Airport, Grand Bahamas Island to West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), Palm Beach, Florida. At 0528, the Freeport Approach Controller requested confirmation from the Freeport Low Radar Controller, "do you have VFR flying at night?" The Freeport low radar controller responded affirmative. A short discussion in-sued regarding the instrument flight plan on file for N9738C. The Freeport Approach Controller advised the pilot was not IFR rated and the Freeport Low Radar Controller requested to have the pilot contact hi
Probable cause
The pilot continued VFR flight into IMC and thunderstorm conditions which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control of the airplane.
More accidents in AO
- Beech 200, Jan 19, 2008
- Cessna 210K, Aug 19, 2011
- Boeing 737-200, Jun 28, 2007
- Piper PA31T, Oct 25, 2018
- Piper PA-23-250, Apr 21, 2007
Browse: Burkina Faso · 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.
