Piper PA-23 accident near Highlands, NC

On July 29, 2008, a Piper PA-23 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Highlands, NC. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

July 29, 2008

Place

Highlands, NC

Aircraft

Piper PA-23 · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

35.008°N, 83.210°W

NTSB ID

20080810X01199

Official records · NYC08FA260

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• ATC 3 - Factual Report of Group Chairman: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• ATC 3 - WARPPLOT Weather Data: Document (TXT), on ntsb.gov
• ATC 3 - Atlanta Center Synopsis of Services: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Atlanta ARTCC Commerce Radar Position Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Atlanta ARTCC Hinch Mountain Radar Position Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 29, 2008, at 1453 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N1180P, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain in Highlands, North Carolina. The certificated airline transport pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Bowman Field Airport (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky at 1255, and was destined for Hazlehurst Airport (AZE), Hazlehurst, Georgia. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot recently purchased the airplane, and he and his son were enroute to the pilot's home in Florida on the day of the accident. Air traffic control (ATC) information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), revealed the pilot contacted Atlanta Center at 1823:08, reporting level at 9,000 feet and deviating right of course for weather. At 1829:40, the controller advised the pilot that, "…I'm showing an area of heavy to extreme precipitation at your twelve o'clock and two zero miles it extends approximately fifteen miles south of that position and it's about fifteen to twenty miles wide." The pilot responded by asking which way the controller thought looked the best to go around it. She replied, "I can't tell which direction it's moving it seems to just be building um I'm not sure what if you want to go around the left or right of it either one would be your choice uh you can proceed let me know which way your going to turn and when

Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and intensity information to the pilot.

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Browse: North Carolina · Piper aircraft

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.