Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Afton, Virginia 22920
Monday, April 30, 2001 14:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot planned a direct flight from Leesburg, Virginia, to Pittsfield, Pennsylvania, which would have required a course of 344 degrees magnetic. Examination of radar data revealed the airplane initiated the flight on an approximate ground track of 340 degrees, and continued on that track for about 15 minutes. During the next hour, the airplane performed three consecutive left-hand orbits and then rolled out on a ground track of 240 degrees. The airplane flew for about an hour on that track, and the last radar identification was about 5 miles from the accident site. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies. According to a friend of the pilot's, the pilot had a history of "passing out," with no particular reason or trigger identified. She stated that the pilot had passed out three times in the 2 weeks prior to the accident, and once the day before the accident. The pilot's doctor reported that the pilot had undergone extensive testing to determine a cause for his recurring loss of consciousness. During the testing process, the pilot was instructed not to fly his airplane, until a cause could be identified for the episodes. Four months prior to the accident, the pilot was diagnosed with "vascular syncope," a nervous system reaction in which the heart rate and blood pressure drop for no reason. On his last FAA medical application, dated three months prior to the accident, the pilot stated he had never experienced dizziness or fainting spells, unconsciousness, or high blood pressure. A review of every FAA medical application on file for the pilot revealed he never reported any health problems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of consciousness due to a medical condition, which resulted in his failure to maintain control of the airplane and subsequent impact with rising terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/30/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Afton
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22920
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 375704N
Event Location Longitude 0785302W
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 Abbreviated
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1406 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID SHD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 12076
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date May 1 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2002 9:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Richmond FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7680J
NTSB Number IAD01FA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28R-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-31081
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 30 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3868
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Broken Straw Arrow
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Warren
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16365
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Walter Jones
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Warren
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 16365
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 JYO
Departure City Leesburg
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P15
Destination City Pittsfield
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2002 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --