Piper PA-34-200T accident near Manteo, North Carolina, January 13, 2013
On January 13, 2013 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N6537C, was destroyed in an accident during approach near Manteo, North Carolina (Dare County Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's attempted visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions while maneuvering at a low altitude in the traffic pattern, which resulted in spatial disorientation and impact with the water. Contributing was the pilot's lack of experience flying in actual instrument meteorological conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2013 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Manteo, North Carolina · Dare County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N6537C · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870164
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The weather at the destination airport had reduced visibility and low drifting fog. According to the passenger, the flight was normal; the pilot acknowledged the reduced visibility report at the destination airport that was relayed by a pilot that landed ahead of the accident airplane. During the instrument approach, when the airplane descended through clouds, the pilot realized that the airplane was too far down the runway to safely land. The pilot then elected to enter a visual low traffic pattern rather than execute a missed approach procedure. However, the passenger stated that the barometric pressure was not reset during the approach. Thus, although the altimeters indicated that the airplane was at 410 ft mean sea level (msl) on the downwind leg, it was actually flying about 260 ft msl in the airport pattern before impacting water. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. Although a prohibited medical drug was found the in the blood and urine of the pilot, the amounts found were not enough to be impairing. The pilot had a total flight experience of about 387 hours of which about 17 hours were in actual instrument meteorological conditions. The restricted visibility conditions at the time of the accident would have been conducive to the development of spatial disorientation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Fog › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total instrument experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 382 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TTA Sanford NC
- Destination: MQI Manteo NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 05, 4,305 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; ovct at 200 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from MQI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.