Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Bastian, VA
On November 27, 2002, a Piper PA-32RT-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bastian, VA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 27, 2002
- Place
- Bastian, VA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 37.151°N, 81.184°W
- NTSB ID
- 20021210X05581
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 27, 2002, at 1812 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N31554, sustained substantial damage when it impacted rising terrain while approaching the Mercer County Airport (BLF), Bluefield, West Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight which originated at the Leesburg Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida, about 1415. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot received a weather briefing and filed two IFR flight plans, with the Leesburg Flight Service Station prior to his departure from Leesburg. One flight plan was filed from Leesburg to the Union County Airport (35A), Union, South Carolina, and the second flight plan was filed from Union to Bluefield. While en route to Union, the pilot requested, and was cleared, to overfly Union and continue on to Bluefield. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC) transcripts, at 1747, the pilot requested a course reversal to proceed to Ashe County Airport (GEV), Jefferson, North Carolina, because he did not have the instrument procedures with him for West Virginia. The pilot then asked the controller, "how low can you get me on radar?" The controller responded, "five five four we can get you down to six thousand feet for bluefield and its uh v-f-r conditions up there." The pilot stated that he would proceed to Bluefield and try to make a visual approa
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate altitude above terrain. Factors in the accident were the dark night conditions and the low cloud ceiling.
More accidents in VA
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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.
