- Date
- November 4, 1988, 19:41 local (Nov 5, 1988, 00:41 UTC)
- Place
- Bridgeport, WV
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N39550Piper PA-28R-201T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 6, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881104049409A
- Case key
- 7860
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The plt was cleared to execute a visual approach to rwy 21 and was issued the current alt setting of 29.60' hg. The approach was made under dark night and gusty crosswind conditions to a lighted runway in rural mountainous/hilly terrain. During final approach the acft collided with a tree located approx 3,500' from rwy 21 at approx 1,300' MSL. The aprt elevation was 1,203' MSL. The aircraft came to rest at approx 1,280' MSL on a hillside. A photo was taken by rescue workers that shows the alt indicating 1,430' MSL. The alt setting found in the wreckage was 29.74' hg. The plt could not recall setting the alt prior to the approach. The alt was tested and found to operate properly. The plt reported that no pre-impact deficiencies were present in the acft and could not recall the accident. Winds were recorded as gusting to 18 knots and when the tower cleared the acft to land the controller stated that they were gusting to 16 knots.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39550
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-201T (PA-28R-201)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7803354
- Airframe hours
- 1,480
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-FB1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Fred W. Kruse
- Registered owner
- Fred W. Kruse
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 2, 1988 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- GSP · Greer, SC
- Destination
- CKB · Bridgeport, WV
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CKB · Benedum, runway 21, 5,198 × 150 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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 670 total · 136 in this make and model · 575 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 8 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CKB, 1 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.