Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain crash, Sep 5, 2001 (1 killed)
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain accident on September 5, 2001 near Reading, Pennsylvania, United States with 1 fatality. Cause: The pilot lost control...
- Date: September 5, 2001
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
- Location: Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
- Fatalities: 1
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: The pilot lost control for undetermined reasons, resulting in a high-speed dive. No mechanical defect, engine failure or out-of-trim condition was found.
A Piper Navajo Chieftain being repositioned to a maintenance facility took off from Reading with the pilot as sole occupant. Shortly after takeoff he reported an engine problem, declined assistance, and radar showed the aircraft climbing, accelerating and then diving into the ground. The aircraft had just been serviced, and oil was found to have been added to the left engine after maintenance.