Piper PA-46-350P accident near Memphis, TN
On November 3, 2002, a Piper PA-46-350P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Memphis, TN. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 3, 2002
- Place
- Memphis, TN
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-350P · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.195°N, 90.089°W
- NTSB ID
- 20021120X05492
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 3, 2002, about 1743 central standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N167MA, registered to CGS Equipment Leasing LLC., was lost from radar and crashed into the Mississippi River, in the vicinity of Memphis, Tennessee. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from the Orlando International Airport, Orlando, Florida, to the General Dewitt Spain Airport, Memphis, Tennessee. The airplane has not been recovered, is assumed to be submerged in the Mississippi River, and presumed to be destroyed. The private-rated pilot and a passenger are missing and presumed to be fatally injured. The flight originated about 1429 eastern standard time, from the Orlando International Airport. According to a chronological summary of communications, after takeoff the flight proceeded en route and air traffic control (ATC) communications were transferred to several air traffic control (ATC) facilities. At 1707, ATC communications were transferred from the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center to the Memphis Air Traffic Control Tower (Memphis ATCT). According to a transcription of communications with that facility, the pilot established contact at 1709:40, and advised that the flight was at 4,000 feet. The controller questioned what type of approach the pilot was expecting and he advised a global positioning system (GPS) approach to runway 16. The controller acknowledged the pilots transmission, provided an altimeter setting, and advised the pilot traffic and weather infor
Probable cause
The cause of the accident is unknown as the airplane has not been located. A finding in the investigation was the fact that the pilot conducted an unstabilized approach; the flight was right, left, then right of the final approach course during the approach and the radar data reflects the pilot was correcting back to the final approach course during the entire approach.
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Browse: Tennessee · 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.
