Report on aviation accident near Gåsøya in Bærum, Norway, on 31 March 1976 with Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, LN-BNQ
Aviation report 1977/03
LN-BNQ took off from Fornebu airport at 2136 local time. On board was the pilot and one passenger who also was a licensed pilot. The plan was to fly special VFR night to Rygge airport. The weather in the area was marginal, and an airliner which had landed just prior to LN-BNQ taking off had reported contact at 600 ft. A few minutes after takeoff the pilot of LN-BNQ informed tower that he wished to return to Fornebu for landing. According to the pilot the airplane was at approximately 1,300 ft . He was told to turn to a course of 030 degrees. Approximately five minutes after departure the airplane disappeared from the radar scope on a southeasterly course. The tower tried repeatedly to call LN-BNQ without getting a response. A search for the airplane was initiated, and it was found on 2 April in the water southwest of Gåsøya at 32 meters depth. The accident investigation board believed the cause of the accident to be loss of control as a result of inadvertent IMC. The pilot did not have any training in instrument flying.
In the report the Accident Investigation Board recommended that the Directorate of Aviation considered whether the weather limits with regard to VFR night should be changed.
Published 21.03.1977
Facts
| Location | Gåsøya in Bærum, Norway |
| Occurrence date | 31.03.1976 |
| Aircraft | Piper PA-28 Cherokee/Arrow/Archer m.fl. |
| Operator | Private |
| Registration | LN-BNQ |
| Meteorological conditions | IMC |
| County | Akershus |
| Type of occurrence | Accident |
| Type of operation | Private |
| Category of operation | Light, aeroplane (< 5 700kg) |
| Aircraft category | Landplane, Single-engine, Piston engine |
| FIR/AOR | ENOS (Oslo ATCC) |