Night VFR Into the Shenandoah Mountains: Final Moments of N43156

The Piper continued descending after the pilot requested a lower altitude and stopped transmitting, eventually striking mountainous terrain near Dayton, Virginia.

On January 11, 2023, private pilot N43156 departed Winchester Regional Airport on a nighttime VFR cross-country flight toward Shelby County Airport (EET), Alabama. The Piper PA-32R-301 climbed to 6,500 ft and received flight following. About 20 minutes before the accident, the pilot requested a descent to 5,500 ft. The controller told him to maintain VFR. No further transmissions were received. The aircraft continued descending, drifted left of its established course and eventually struck mountainous terrain.

Accident Facts

A Long Cross-Country Flight

The pilot departed Winchester at 17:39 and turned southwest. At 17:41 he contacted Potomac TRACON while climbing through 3,500 ft and requested VFR flight following. He reached 6,500 ft and checked in with Washington Center at 17:49. There was no indication of a mechanical problem during the first part of the flight.

The Decision to Descend

At 18:02, the pilot told Washington Center that he intended to descend to 5,500 ft for a few minutes. The controller acknowledged and instructed him to maintain VFR. The pilot acknowledged. This was the last recorded transmission from the cockpit.

The Final Seven Minutes

ADS-B showed the aircraft continuing to descend after the 18:02 exchange. Around 18:09 it turned approximately 20 degrees left from its established track to about 200 degrees magnetic. The last observed position at 18:09:43 placed the aircraft at about 4,100 ft. The wreckage was later located at an elevation of about 3,980 ft, less than 500 ft horizontally and 100 ft vertically from the final ADS-B position.

The Terrain Was Hidden by Night

The weather evidence showed light rain and overcast conditions along the route, with AIRMETs warning of mountain obscuration. Nearby observations indicated ceilings around 3,800 ft AGL. The NTSB could not determine whether the pilot actually entered IMC or was descending to avoid clouds. Investigators concluded that, because it was night and there was very little cultural lighting near the accident site, the pilot likely could not see the terrain below.

No Mechanical Failure

Examination of the airframe and engine found no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction that would have prevented normal operation. The wreckage pattern and impact signatures were consistent with controlled flight into terrain rather than a structural breakup or mechanical failure causing an immediate loss of control.

The Pilot’s Qualification

The pilot held a private certificate and had nearly 1,800 hours of total flight experience, including substantial time in the PA-32. He did not hold an instrument rating. His records showed about 300 hours of night flight; the investigation could not establish meaningful instrument-conditions experience from the available logbook material.

The ATC Record

The controller did not direct the airplane toward the terrain. The pilot requested the lower altitude and was told to maintain VFR. After the final acknowledgement, the aircraft continued descending without further communication. Radar provided controllers with the aircraft’s position until the final minutes, but the controller did not have direct visibility of the pilot’s outside visual environment.

What the Records Show

The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while descending over mountainous terrain at night. The report also identified altitude not maintained, mountainous-terrain awareness and dark conditions as findings.

Conclusion

N43156’s final flight was not a sudden mechanical emergency. It was a gradual loss of terrain clearance during a nighttime descent. The exact reason for the descent and course deviation cannot be established beyond the evidence, but the sequence is clear: 6,500 ft cruise, a requested descent to 5,500 ft, silence, continued descent, a 20-degree course change and impact at roughly 4,000 ft in the Shenandoah Mountains.

Sources & Reconstruction Note

• https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?NTSBNumber=ERA23FA108