VFR into IMC · NTSB ERA13FA101
PIPER PA-30 — Jasper, AL
| Date | January 2, 2013 |
| Location | Jasper, AL |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-30 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 17 |
| Pilot total time | 15 hrs · Student / very low time |
| Time in type | 0 hrs |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Student/instructed pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Qualification/certification-Student/instructed pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Miscellaneous-Intentional act-Stolen/unauthorized-Student/instructed pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low ceiling-Effect on personnel - C
What happened
According to the airport manager, who was also a flight instructor, the student pilot had completed 10 hours of dual instruction in a single-engine airplane and completed three supervised solos. After the student pilot's third supervised solo, he discontinued his training with the airport manager and enrolled in a flight program at a community college. The airport manager did not know if the student pilot continued with his training. A review of the student pilot's records revealed that he had no entries or endorsements related to multiengine, night, or instrument flights.
Instrument meteorological conditions existed on the night of the accident. An airport security video showed the accident airplane taxiing to the active runway. Shortly thereafter, the airplane's strobe lights can be seen reflecting off of the runway and then illuminating in the low clouds; the strobe lights then disappear from the camera's view. A witness in the area reported hearing an airplane flying low and then the sound of a loud crash. The witness subsequently contacted the local authorities, and the airplane was located 1 mile from the airport in a heavily wooded area. The airplane's owner reported that he had not given the student pilot permission to use the airplane. An examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.