Piper PA-31-310 incident near Charlotte, North Carolina, March 6, 1996
On March 6, 1996 at about 8:22 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N7451L, was involved in an incident near Charlotte, North Carolina (Charlotte/Douglas Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fatal incapacitation of the pilot due to a heart attack.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1996 · about 8:22 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Charlotte/Douglas Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N7451L · no longer on the register · serial 31-847
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During flight, one of the passengers (a single engine rated pilot) was seated in the right front seat. After arriving at the destination, the pilot initiated an ILS approach; however, before landing, a full deflection of the localizer CDI was noted, and the pilot executed a go-around. The pilot rated passenger stated that about 15 seconds later, the pilot released the control yoke, rested against his own seat back, and began to have convulsions. The pilot rated passenger began flying the airplane and advised ATC of the situation. The controller vectored the flight for landing, and the pilot rated passenger was initially unable to release the autopilot. At one point during the flight, the pilot's hand pulled the left engine mixture control to the idle cutoff position, but engine power was restored after the pilot rated passenger repositioned the mixture control. The pilot rated passenger landed the airplane; however, during the landing roll, he did not have access to the airplane's brake system. The airplane rolled off the left side of the runway onto grass, but was not damaged. Subsequently, the pilot was pronounced dead. After a post-mortem examination, the cause of death was listed as coronary atherosclerosis/hypertensive heart disease. According to the pilot's wife, he had no previous complaints suggestive of heart disease.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,588 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1996; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRX Corinth MS at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CLT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36L, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from CLT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.