Piper PA-31-310 Navajo crash, Dec 9, 1999 (8 killed), Sun...
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo accident on December 9, 1999 near Sundsvall, Medelpad, Sweden with 8 fatalities. Cause: The pilot lost control of the aircraft...
- Date: December 9, 1999
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
- Location: Sundsvall, Medelpad, Sweden
- Fatalities: 8
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: The pilot lost control of the aircraft in IMC, with contributing factors including difficult weather, insufficient preparation time, a probably misaligned navigation system, overloading and tail heaviness, and possible impairment from the pilot's medical condition, according to the SHK report.
A Twin Air Piper Navajo on a charter from Sundsvall to Goteborg took off in heavy snow and poor visibility. The pilot reported a compass problem and the aircraft turned northwest, struck high ground and crashed in forest on a mountainside, killing all eight occupants. The Swedish SHK investigation found the pilot lost control in IMC after the aircraft was overloaded and tail-heavy.