- Date
- November 9, 1988, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Deane, KY
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N98185Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881109071069A
- Case key
- 7950
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
While en route to wise, Virginia from richmond, Kentucky on a pleasure flight, the airplane collided with trees on rockhouse mountain. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left tank, however, there was no evidence of fuel in the vicinity of the separated left wing/ruptured tank. The right wing was completely severed from the fuselage, however, the right fuel tank was intact and contained approximately four gallons of fuel. Damage to the engine precluded a test stand run, however, no mechanical deficiencies or malfunctions were noted during teardown examination. At the time of the accident the pilot was circling around the passenger's house so that he could observe it from the air.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98185
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-26091
- Airframe hours
- 2,583
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert J. Miller
- Registered owner
- Miller, Williamson, Melhuish
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 12, 1988 · 165 hours before
- Departed
- I39 · Richmond, KY
- Destination
- LNP · Wise, VA
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 252 total · 13 in this make and model · 219 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.