VFR into IMC · NTSB ERA11FA422
PIPER PA-28-180 — Berne, NY
| Date | July 25, 2011 |
| Location | Berne, NY |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-28-180 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 57 |
| Pilot total time | 153 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low ceiling-Effect on operation
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Weather planning-Pilot - F
What happened
The pilot departed without filing a flight plan or obtaining a weather briefing. Witnesses near the accident site described hearing an airplane “low to the ground” as it approached them. They said it was in a left-wing-low attitude just prior to striking trees and disappearing from view. One witness said that the engine was “really loud” and that the airplane appeared just above the trees and just beneath the clouds that were “right on top of the trees." The airplane struck trees and rising terrain traveling opposite the intended direction of flight. The pilot of a police helicopter dispatched to the scene immediately after the accident reported that he chose to abort the mission about 1/4 mile before reaching the crash site due to weather conditions. He stated that he was unable to access a position directly over the scene due to rising terrain and low clouds. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies.