Piper PA-34-200T accident near Huntington, WV
On January 30, 2009, a Piper PA-34-200T (airplane) was involved in an accident near Huntington, WV. 6 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 30, 2009
- Place
- Huntington, WV
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · Airplane
- Injuries
- 6 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.343°N, 82.556°W
- NTSB ID
- 20090131X25145
Official records · ERA09FA145
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
This report was modified on July 21, 2010. HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 30, 2009, at 1331 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N8047C, was destroyed when it struck transmission lines and collided with terrain near Huntington, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot and five passengers were fatally injured. The personal cross-country flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane was maneuvering for landing at Huntington Tri-State Airport (HTS), Huntington, West Virginia, when the accident occurred. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at Lake in the Hills Airport (3CK), Lake in the Hills, Illinois, about 0845 central standard time. According to a friend of the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to look at airplanes for sale at Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Clearwater, Florida. The friend had been asked to go along, but could not due to a scheduling conflict. On the day of the accident, the friend noticed there were six people on the airplane instead of the planned five and asked about weight and balance, and the pilot assured him that he had completed the proper calculations. The friend further advised the pilot to obtain a weather briefing and file a flight plan before departure. The pilot assured his friend that he would obtain a briefing and file a flight plan from the airplane using his cellular telephone. The friend then left for a hangar, and when he returned at 0845, the airplane was gone. According to fixed base operator records, the ai
Probable cause
(1) The pilot’s failure to perform adequate preflight planning and to use available in flight resources in a timely manner and (2) his decision to continue visual-flight-rules flight in instrument meteorological conditions despite his lack of an instrument rating and proficiency in instrument flying, which resulted in spatial disorientation and impact with terrain.
More accidents in WV
- Bell UH-1B, Jun 22, 2022
- Piper PA-32R-301T, Jul 19, 2004
- Piper PA-32-R-300, Sep 26, 1982
- Piper PA-32RT-300T, Feb 9, 1984
- Aero Commander 560-F, Oct 14, 2007
Browse: West 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.
