Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belvidere, North Carolina 27919
Thursday, December 14, 2000 13:03 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions and was observed on radar making climbing and descending turns prior to making a final descending turn and being lost from radar. Examination of the crash site showed the airplane had impacted the terrain in a about a 90-degree nose down attitude. The crash site was about .09 miles from the last radar contact, when the airplane was 2,000 feet above ground level. Post crash examination of the airplane structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, and airplane systems showed no evidence of pre-crash failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control due to spatial disorientation while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions resulting in the airplane entering a descending turn and crashing into terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/14/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1303
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BELVIDERE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27919
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID ECG
Elevation of weather observation facility 12
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 54
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 52
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10606
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL. Comm. Center
NTSB Notification Date Dec 14 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 27 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N120JB
NTSB Number MIA01FA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-31-325
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-325
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7612050
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 29 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 4903
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GORDON E. MONTGOMERY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 307 SMITH NECK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SOUTH DARTMOUTH
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02748
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VRB
Departure City VERO BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 952
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EDE
Destination City EDENTON
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 8 2001 4:00AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --