- Date
- January 20, 1986, 15:54 local (20:54 UTC)
- Place
- Rural Retreat, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N14259Piper PA-23-250
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860120000869A
- Case key
- 7057
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Pilot said first adf approach terminated by missed approach due to oscillating directional needle. On second approach acft broke out of clouds with trees in front of acft. It impacted a cloud obscured ridge 3.5 miles southeast of airport on a southerly heading. Pilot/witnesses reported strong winds from the northwest to north. Final approach course for NDB approach was 253. Ceiling reported at airport as 1000'. Mda was 1100'. NDB was reported by FBO as apparently operating satisfactorily. Tests of acft adf receiver revealed it also operated satisfactorily.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N14259
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27-4820
- Airframe hours
- 3,660
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Patten Corporation Of Va.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 3, 1985 · 186 hours before
- Departed
- W96 · Quinton, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 5A1 · Mountain Eagle
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,334 total · 143 in this make and model · 1,159 as pilot in command · 157 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.