HOMESTEAD, FL, USA
N2606Y
PIPER PA-28-161
NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS FLYING NORTHBOUND OVER BISCAYNE BAY AT NIGHT. WX WAS 1500 TO 2500 SCT WITH RAINSHOWERS. FLT WAS RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH MIAMI APPROACH AND WAS OBSERVED TO FLY ERRATIC HEADING AND ALTITUDE. PLT REPORTED TO ATC HE WAS LOSING CONTROL. GROUND WITNESSES ON SAIL BOAT IN HARBOR OF BOCA CHITA ISLAND REPORTED SEEING ACFT DESCENDING AT 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASH INTO BAY. POST CRASH EXAM OF WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS, ENGINE, OR VACUUM SYSTEM. PLT LOGBOOK WAS NOT LOCATED AFTER ACCIDENT AND RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE FOR NIGHT FLIGHT AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS RESULTING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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