Piper PA-30 accident near Trappe, MD
On April 4, 2007, a Piper PA-30 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Trappe, MD. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 4, 2007
- Place
- Trappe, MD
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.615°N, 76.043°W
- NTSB ID
- 20070415X00412
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 4, 2007, at 0937 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N555EM, was destroyed during an impact with terrain in Trappe, Maryland. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at the Westchester County Airport (HPN), White Plains, New York, destined for the Moore County Airport (SOP), Southern Pines, North Carolina. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to air traffic control (ATC) information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was communicating with Patuxent River Naval Air Station Approach Control, as the airplane headed south, in the vicinity of Easton, Maryland. At 0929, the pilot reported to ATC that he would have to deviate "a little bit left here," and the controller responded "approved, report when able to go direct Richmond." The controller asked the pilot if he had weather radar on board, and the pilot reported he did, and that it "gave him weather every five minutes." At 0930, the controller reported to the pilot that the "lightest weather" was "about a one nine five heading for seven miles and then it looks like you will be able to get back to Richmond." The pilot responded, "yeah, that's about right that's why I'm heading to the left." The controller reported to the pilot that there was "some pretty heavy stuff" at the pilot's "three o'clock position" and "on that turn southbound it looks like s
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the thunderstorm.
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Browse: Maryland · 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.
