Piper PA32 accident near Fountain Run, KY
On November 12, 2017, a Piper PA32 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fountain Run, KY. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 12, 2017
- Place
- Fountain Run, KY
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.773°N, 85.992°W
- NTSB ID
- 20171112X72518
Official records · ERA18FA022
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 12, 2017, at 1410 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, N3371W, was destroyed during an in-flight breakup and collision with terrain while maneuvering near Fountain Run, Kentucky. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed Everett-Stewart Regional Airport (UCY), Union City, Tennessee, at 1303, and was destined for Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME), Somerset, Kentucky. The pilot and passengers were returning from a hunting trip, and the spouse of one passenger had planned a surprise party for the afternoon of their return. Radar and voice information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the pilot contacted the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and was receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight following services. The airplane was in cruise flight travelling eastbound about 5,500 ft mean seal level (msl) for about 30 minutes before the radar track depicted a slight turn to a northeasterly heading. At 1357:44, the pilot informed the controller that he was going to climb the airplane in order to maintain VFR flight. Beginning at 1358, the radar track indicated a climb to about 6,600 ft followed by a series of left and right turns while maintaining a generally northeast track. About 1404, the radar track depicted a nearly 180° left turn, followed i
Probable cause
The noninstrument-rated pilot's intentional visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to complete the flight.
More accidents in KY
- Bombardier, Inc. CRJ-100, Aug 27, 2006
- Piper PA-31T2, Feb 17, 1982
- Cessna 401A, Aug 28, 2006
- Piper PA-32R-301T, Apr 3, 1988
- Piper PA-32R-301, Mar 22, 2004
Browse: Kentucky · 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.
