Radar contact lost with GA airplane approaching RDU

In an article published by WRAL, the following statement was made:

"A statement by the FAA identified the plane as a Piper PA32 that was on approach to Runway 32 when radar contact with the small aircraft was lost."

Since there hasn't been anything further posted on media, I'll just say that a Piper Saratoga *supposedly* arrived at RDU at 7:21P, and the track would have put it over the general area mentioned in the news articles. It's probably the aircraft in question, but I guess we'll know something soon.

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Sounds like it went down in a heavily forested area and it's night. Might not know anything for a while.

Airport Status Update
Monday, October 21, 2019

Search Continues in Response to Aircraft Incident
12 Local and State Partners Assisting in Search and Rescue Effort

RDU Airport, N.C. – Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority personnel continue to support ongoing search and rescue efforts in the vicinity of Umstead State Park. Twelve local and state partners are on the ground and in the air searching for a small private aircraft that was lost on radar earlier this evening. Additionally, the Authority is in touch with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

A State Highway Patrol helicopter is searching for a heat signature from the ground, a signal typical of an aircraft crash landing.

“Umstead State Park is 5,200 acres of dense forest, with few roads and little to no light,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “Recovery efforts are extremely challenging in remote areas and it could take a long time to find this plane.”

Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority was notified by FAA Air Traffic Control at approximately 7:25 p.m. Sunday of an offsite incident involving a small general aviation aircraft. RDU operations and firefighting units responded immediately, which closed the airport runway for a brief period of time. The airport resumed normal operations at approximately 7:45 p.m.

The following partners are assisting in the response:

  • RDU airport personnel
  • N.C. State Highway Patrol
  • N.C. Park Rangers
  • Raleigh Fire Department
  • Raleigh Police Department
  • Wake County EMS
  • Wake County Sheriff’s Department
  • Wake County Emergency Management
  • Wake County Fire Services
  • Durham Highway Fire Department
  • Cary Fire Department
  • Cary EMS
We ask that people avoid the area around Umstead State Park while search and rescue efforts are underway. We will provide more information when it is available. Follow us on Twitter at @RDUAirport and visit rdu.com for the most recent information.
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Based on the time of the accident and the aircraft type reported in the news it may have been N534Z.

FlightAware shows an RNAV approach to 32. Live ATC has an airliner call bases at 1600 a few minutes prior which is well above minimums. Getting setup for the approach it seems the pilot had some issues flying the approach and the controller did a good job patiently vectoring him around for a straight-in. The pilot of 34Z calls runway in sight to tower, and I think that was his last call. A few mins later they are sending airplanes around.

32 visual approach at RDU is tough at night. It is a classic black hole approach. The extended centerline goes over umstead state park, it’s completely dark while the airport and city around it is lit up. Very easy to misjudge your glide slope if you aren't following the PAPI.
 
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Darn. I may go see if they are accepting volunteers for the search. Or help in some other way. Though, I imagine, it will be found soon now that the sun is up.
 
I don’t know the temps at altitude but from the ground it appeared that conditions were excellent for ice accumulation.
 
On our flight from KOMN to KAGC yesterday, in the vicinity of RDU, ATC asked us to monitor guard for a while after repeated unanswered calls to another plane. I was wondering if someone went down.
 
Fiveslide said:
Darn. I may go see if they are accepting volunteers for the search. Or help in some other way. Though, I imagine, it will be found soon now that the sun is up.
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I hope for some good news when they find it.
 
Kind of sketchy to consider going down within a few miles of a major airport and still not having been found 16-hours later. I continue to hope for the best.
 
Late at night...black hole over a state forest.
Johnbo said:
Kind of sketchy to consider going down within a few miles of a major airport and still not having been found 16-hours later. I continue to hope for the best.
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The Raleigh Fire Dept is leading the search. Their search techniques is basically to beat the bushes.

That area is a hardwood forest. I wouldn't expect a positive outcome.
 
I just saw the live helicopter news feed...defiantly a control surface in a tree. I don’t want to be too critical since I obviously have zero facts on the matter but it seems like a helicopter with a spotlight up at night could have found that much sooner but I read that they stop searching at 3 AM and didn’t start again till sunrise. If someone would’ve broken into a building you can guarantee that there would be helicopters with spotlights looking for that individual.
 
Based on radio traffic, and his approach path at night in less than ideal weather conditions, it *could* have been mechanical-related, but I'm leaning toward a loss of spatial awareness.
Thoughts with all concerned, especially the pilot.

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No survivors, two fatal. The pilot was identified as Dr Harvey Partridge, a veterinarian from St Petersburg FL.

RIP.
 
Flew from KHNZ to KEYW yesterday AM. Took off into rain and 400’ ceiling. But conditions improved throughout the day. 1600’ ceiling borders on less-than-hard-IFR conditions. But nothing is soft at night, especially at a less-than-familiar airport with big black hole on the approach and as I recall a noticeable up slope.

But of course, I have no idea what happened.


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I wonder why they didn’t put him on an approach to one of the well lit primary runways?
 
I was wondering that too. There's only 7 arrivals and 6 departures (today) in a 15 minute window around 7:30 and they've got two runways large runways. Seems like they could have slotted him in. I'm guessing he accepted being first on 32 rather than mixing in with faster traffic on one of the other runways.

It was just shy of an hour after sunset, so solid night. The airport is right there in front of you and other than the forest right below you, the area is well lit. I don't see spatial disorientation being likely. Most likely was getting below the glide slope and clipping trees. That's kind of an obvious thing to say because he had to be below the glide slope to crash.
 
Johnbo said:
I wonder why they didn’t put him on an approach to one of the well lit primary runways?
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I think RDU is down to one main runway right now due to construction and it sounded like they were pretty busy at the time this pilot was coming in. Any time the main runways are busy its pretty much SOP to bring light GA traffic into 32 as long as the weather cooperates. 1600ft ceiling isn't hard IFR and conditions were otherwise okay, the wind would have been right for 32 from the little METAR that is displayed on the live ATC archive page.

32 is 3500x100 and it is well lit for a runway that size with REIL and a bright PAPI with a 3.5 degree glide slope. There is nothing really challenging about the runway, but the slightly steeper than normal approach coupled with the black hole illusion just makes it easy to misjudge your glideslope at night.
 
Just looked at the plate. No LPV mins. With such a black hole, sure seems like an lpv should be available.
 
Given last-second runway/approach change. Then reported difficulty with his AP. Had difficulty holding headings and altitudes, kept asking ATC to repeat. Gettin vectored around a lot, reported breaking out eventually. ATC cleared him for the visual, he then said "looking for the runway, there's a lot of lights out here" and was subsequently given a low altitude alert. He reported 9 miles out at 2,000, lots of back and forth with ATC about whether he could see the runway. He kept saying he thought he could see the beacon. Eventually said he thought he had the runway, was handed over to tower, made one call, was cleared for the visual and then crickets.

Seems to me (Instrument student) that even if you break out, if you can't see the field, especially at night, you need to stay on instruments and follow the approach instead of looking around trying to catch a glimpse of the field.

Sad.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2019/10/piper-pa-32-301-saratoga-n534z-raleigh.html

http://www.josephrenda.com/n534z-piper-pa-32-301.html
 
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Looking at Flightaware, looks like he filed from Auburn to Raleigh at 7,000, climbed to that altitude and then seemingly diverted landing at an airport 21 nm away:

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N534Z/history/20191020/1700Z/KAUO/KCSG

He was there for 2.5 hours, filed again for Raleigh and took off on the accident flight.

Which makes it pretty likely that his original plan had him getting there in daylight.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
Just looked at the plate. No LPV mins. With such a black hole, sure seems like an lpv should be available.
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if it's true that he told the tower he had runway in sight then he probably would not have been looking at the glideslope anyway and was in visual "mode"
 
bflynn said:
No survivors, two fatal. The pilot was identified as Dr Harvey Partridge, a veterinarian from St Petersburg FL.

RIP.
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The Bo’s ‘Doctor Killer’ nickname remains true.

:(
 
Tantalum said:
if it's true that he told the tower he had runway in sight then he probably would not have been looking at the glideslope anyway and was in visual "mode"
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He kept saying he had the beacon in sight, and was looking for the runway. At one point the tower controller told him they were turning the lights up to bright for him, but he still didn't see it. I think this will turn out to have been a lot of looking out the window when he should have been focusing on his instruments.
 
mryan75 said:
He kept saying he had the beacon in sight, and was looking for the runway. At one point the tower controller told him they were turning the lights up to bright for him, but he still didn't see it. I think this will turn out to have been a lot of looking out the window when he should have been focusing on his instruments.
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Oh man, that's devastating, poor guy
 
Kritchlow said:
Why?
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So that those unfamiliar with the airport, and are equipped, can fly it like an ILS, and be less dependent on a "dive and drive" visual. As said above, it might turn out the pilot should have been focusing on his instruments rather than out the window. An LPV would put him pretty much on the doorstep.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
So that those unfamiliar with the airport, and are equipped, can fly it like an ILS, and be less dependent on a "dive and drive" visual. As said above, it might turn out the pilot should have been focusing on his instruments rather than out the window. An LPV would put him pretty much on the doorstep.
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I think non LPV mins would do about the same, as would the PAPI.
 
^I mean, by their very design, if adhered to the standards and minimums, then every approach is "safe" - some approaches though are more likely to put you past your proficiency level... a circling VOR A is going to demand more of the pilot than a straight in LPV / ILS..
 
I started backing up visuals with instruments a long time ago. It’s not always possible but whenever it’s available I never pass up the option to have it as a backup.
 
mryan75 said:
Given last-second runway/approach change. Then reported difficulty with his AP. Had difficulty holding headings and altitudes, kept asking ATC to repeat. Gettin vectored around a lot, reported breaking out eventually. ATC cleared him for the visual, he then said "looking for the runway, there's a lot of lights out here" and was subsequently given a low altitude alert. He reported 9 miles out at 2,000, lots of back and forth with ATC about whether he could see the runway. He kept saying he thought he could see the beacon. Eventually said he thought he had the runway, was handed over to tower, made one call, was cleared for the visual and then crickets.

Seems to me (Instrument student) that even if you break out, if you can't see the field, especially at night, you need to stay on instruments and follow the approach instead of looking around trying to catch a glimpse of the field.

Sad.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2019/10/piper-pa-32-301-saratoga-n534z-raleigh.html

http://www.josephrenda.com/n534z-piper-pa-32-301.html
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Herein lies the danger of visual approaches at night. Especially at an unfamiliar or hard to spot field. Staying on a published approach path at night keeps you out of the weeds, and should put the runway in front of your nose at the MAP.
 
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Tarheelpilot said:
I started backing up visuals with instruments a long time ago. It’s not always possible but whenever it’s available I never pass up the option to have it as a backup.
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Every pilot should do this. Someone showed me this a 1-2 years ago to always load and brief an approach, even for visuals, as you'll get a good familiarity with the area, terrain, and depending on approach a competent localizer and glideslope to the runway as reference

chemgeek said:
should put the runway in front of your nose at the MAP
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Usually, but there are some goofy VOR approaches out there, even some RNAV, that don't line you up.. and I've found that unless you are looking straight down a runway they can be hard to see at night.. I'm always amazed flying downwind legs at night that the runway, RIGHT NEXT TO ME, basically disappears then heaves into view as you turn base to final
 
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