Piper PA-23-250 accident near Cordesville, SC
On October 13, 2003, a Piper PA-23-250 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cordesville, SC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 13, 2003
- Place
- Cordesville, SC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.161°N, 79.835°W
- NTSB ID
- 20031020X01778
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 13, 2003, at 1957 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-250, N63942, registered to Air Mango, Ltd., and operated by the commercial pilot, collided into trees and terrain and caught fire in the Francis Marion National Forest, Cordesville, South Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot received fatal injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed East Hampton Airport, East Hampton, New York, about 1549 on October 13, 2003. The flight was en route to Charleston International Airport, Charleston, South Carolina. According to air traffic control records, about 1942, the pilot contacted the Myrtle Beach approach controller while transitioning the airspace at 8,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) and requested to begin a descent as soon as possible. The pilot was cleared to descend to 6,000 feet MSL, and was instructed to contact Charleston Approach. At 1948:37, the pilot established contact with the Charleston West Radar approach controller. A review of recorded radar data revealed the flight was approximately 40 miles from the airport descending through 7,000 feet MSL. At 1950:13, the pilot stated, "charleston six three nine four two would like to keep it coming down if you can arrange that." The controller cleared the pilot to descend and maintain 3,000 feet MSL, the pilot acknowledged, and no further radio communication was received from the pilot. A review of recorded radar data sho
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent into trees and the ground. A factor was physical impairment.
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Browse: South 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.
