Piper PA32RT accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO

On February 1, 2019, a Piper PA32RT (airplane) was involved in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

February 1, 2019

Place

Atlantic Ocean, AO

Aircraft

Piper PA32RT · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

37.635°N, 72.861°W

NTSB ID

20190201X54524

Official records · ERA19LA093

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

Air traffic control records

• FAA Air Traffic Control Accident Package: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Air Traffic Control Raw Data: Document (CSV), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 1, 2019, about 1315 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N3016L, was presumed destroyed after radar contact was lost over the Atlantic Ocean. The private pilot and passenger were presumed fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of voice, radar, and weather data revealed that the airplane departed Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA), West Palm Beach, Florida, under visual flight rules about 1300. The pilot subsequently obtained an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance to Leonard M. Thompson International Airport (MYAM), Marsh Harbour, The Bahamas. The controller cleared the airplane to progressively higher altitudes and provided vectors to avoid areas of precipitation in its flight path. About 1305, the controller instructed the pilot to fly heading 080° to avoid weather and described an area of light and moderate precipitation at the pilot's eleven o'clock position and 10 miles ahead. The pilot acknowledged. About 2 minutes later, the controller instructed the pilot to turn 10° to the right in order to stay away from the precipitation. About 1309, the controller instructed the pilot to turn another 10° right to remain clear of precipitation. The pilot read back the instructions and said, "I don't know what happened my autopilot it just kicked off." The controller acknowledged the pilot and instructed him to climb and maintain 6,000 ft; the pilot repeated the altitude assignment. About 1310, the controller again instructed the pilot to turn 10° right for weat

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

More accidents in AO

• Beech 200, Jan 19, 2008
• Cessna 210K, Aug 19, 2011
• Boeing 737-200, Jun 28, 2007
• Piper PA31T, Oct 25, 2018
• Piper PA-23-250, Apr 21, 2007

Browse: United States · 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.