Piper PA-23 N1180P accident near Highlands, North Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and intensity information to the pilot.

NTSB analysis

The professional airline pilot had just purchased the personal airplane, and the accident flight was his first flight in it. Prior to departing on the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot received a weather briefing which included warnings for severe convective activity. While enroute, the pilot was in contact with air traffic control and indicated he was deviating around weather. The controller initially described the radar-observed precipitation correctly to the pilot. However, when the pilot decided to deviate toward a different area of extreme weather, the controller described it only as "a buildup," which was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration directives. By the time the pilot elected to reverse course, the airplane was in the vicinity of extreme-levels of precipitation. A ground witness observed the airplane fly into an area of "dark clouds", and then break apart in-flight. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for NYC08FA260 for the full record.