- Date
- August 21, 1988, 04:00 local (08:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsboro, NC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4169WPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880821034129A
- Case key
- 7621
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
The plt had an instrument plt accompany him on the flight to myrtle beach in the event the wx required IFR for the return flt. When they arrived at myrtle beach, the plt decided that they would remain overnight. After visiting some night spots and doing some drinking, the two became separated and went their own way. The plt decided to return to chapel hill. He flew the route at 8,500 feet. Arriving near his destination, he contacted raleigh/durham (rdu) apch cont and was cleared to descend at plt's discretion, but was told to maintain VFR. Subsequently, the airplane collided with trees in instrument meteorological conditions in a high speed descent. Independently conducted toxicology tests indicated blood alcohol levels of 0.10% and 0.071%. On the pilot's application for a medical certificate he had denied any record of traffic convictions or excessive drinking habits. During the investigation it was learned that the pilot had been convicted for dwi in June 1987 and had had his driver license suspended for 1 year in January 1988.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4169W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40237
- Airframe hours
- 1,986
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chapel Hill Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Performance Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1988 · 63 hours before
- Departed
- CRE · N. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Destination
- W5Z · Chapel Hill, NC
- Airport
- W52 · Horace Williams, runway 8, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 198 total · 7 in this make and model · 94 as pilot in command · 142 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 19 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.