Piper PA-28-181 N30062 accident near Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Probable cause

The pilot's attempted visual flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed his home airport at night, in fog, and returned on an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. He stated that the return flight was routine and the air traffic controller cleared him for the approach into the airport. The pilot then canceled his IFR clearance, descended visually, and entered a left traffic pattern to land. The pilot stated that he entered the downwind leg for a "tighter than normal" pattern to avoid the fog at the approach end of the runway; however, global positioning system data revealed a spiraling descent in the vicinity of the base leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot stated that not seeing the terrain surrounding the airport while having the airport in sight lulled him into the belief that he was on or near glide path when, in fact, he was much lower, causing the controlled flight into terrain. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing and left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. Airports 15 miles north and 10 miles west each reported ceilings less than 100 feet, and visibility less than a half mile, and witnesses surrounding the airport described the fog as heavy with visibility of less than 100 feet.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA337 for the full record.