Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain crash, Dec 5, 2021 (2 killed)
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain accident on December 5, 2021 near Medford-Rogue Valley, Oregon, United States with 2 fatalities. Cause: The pilot's...
- Date: December 5, 2021
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
- Location: Medford-Rogue Valley, Oregon, United States
- Fatalities: 2
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the initial climb into clouds due to spatial disorientation, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
A Piper Navajo Chieftain departed Medford into cloud on an instrument departure, turned a full circle, climbed back into the clouds and then dived into the ground near a car dealership by the airport. Local news reported the pilot and one passenger died. The NTSB attributed the crash to spatial disorientation.