SORRENTO, FL, USA
N4862S
PIPER PA-32-260
THE FLT WAS ON A VFR X-COUNTRY AT 9500 FT WITH ATC FLT FOLLOWING.THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ADVISED ATC THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR & CLIMBED TO 11,000 FT. HE AGAIN AVISED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR & WAS GOING TO DESCEND. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY ATC TO ENTER A LEFT TURN FROM SSE THROUGH NORTH THROUGH WEST, WHERE IT DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. A PLT WITNESS ON THE GROUND HEARD THE ACFT IN THE CLOUDS AS ENGINE POWER WAS INCREASED & DECREASED, THEN OBSERVED THE ACFT EMERGE FROM THE CLOUD BASE IN A SPIN WITH A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING MISSING. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A SWAMP KILLING ALL 3 OCCUPANTS.ON THE PREVIOUS DAY, A MECHANIC HAD ADVISED THE PLT THAT THE ENGINE DRIVEN VACCUM PUMP WAS INOP. THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR & HEADING INDICATOR ARE VACCUM POWERED. THE GROUND WITNESS STATED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS VFR AT GROUND LEVEL WITH THE CLOUD BASE ESTIMATED AT 2000 FT & VISIBILITY AT LEAST 5 MI.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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