- Date
- May 15, 1992, 06:39 local (10:39 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, NC
- Injuries
- 6 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2259TPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report January 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920515015239A
- Case key
- 8506
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain a proper climb rate after takeoff after becoming spatially disoriented. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, the pilot's self-induced pressure to make the flight, and his lack of total instrument flight experience.
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 pilot had obtained his instrument rating two days before the accident. He had stated to a former instructor that he needed the instrument rating to avoid getting stuck on trips. Further, he was concerned that his family & friends would be disappointed, if this trip was cancelled or delayed. At 0621 EDT, the weather was, in part: sky partially obscured, ceiling 200 feet overcast, visibility 1/4 mile with fog, wind calm. At 0641 EDT (2 min after the acdnt), the visibility had dropped to zero. Radar data showed that after takeoff from runway 25, the airplane reached an altitude of 300 feet. It then crashed into wooded terrain about 1/4 mile south of the extended runway center line & about one mile from the airport center. It was in a steep left bank, when it crashed. The airplane came to rest inverted. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the plane was found, though it was nearly consumed by post-impact fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2259T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7100026
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Marshburn, Thomas E.
- Registered owner
- Marshburn, Thomas E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 6, 1992
- Destination
- SAV · Savannah, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PGV · Pitt-Greenville, runway 25, 4,997 × 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 456 total · 357 in this make and model · 364 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PGV, 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.