BFO85FA002

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-32R-301 · Salisbury, MD · October 25, 1984

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
October 24, 1984, 20:50 local (Oct 25, 1984, 00:50 UTC)
Place
Salisbury, MD
Injuries
4 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N81752Piper PA-32R-301
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19841024058219A
Case key
11116

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

In flight collision with objectCircling (ifr)
Weather condition - fogFactor
Ifr procedure - improperPilot in commandCause
Self-induced pressurePilot in commandFactor
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Descent - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Lack of total instrument timePilot in commandFactor
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Light condition - nightFactor
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

After contacting millville fss 4 times for wx info the acft departed lincoln park, NY, at 1858 EDT with destination listed on the IFR flt plan as easton, MD. En route the plt diverted to Salisbury, MD, due to wx. After being cleared forthe rwy 32 ILS the acft turned northwest instead of southeast after crossing the VOR & descended to between 700 and 900 ft MSL while heading away from the arpt. After being reoriented the plt was told to report at the colbe lom inbound. Pltproceeded to call colbe when actually over Salisbury VOR. N81752 continued the apch concluding by stating he was circling to land. The acft collided with trees on a northwest heading off the apch end of rwy 32. The plt had obtained his instrument rating 3 months prior and at that time had logged 34 instrument hours and 21 night hours. Post crash fire destroyed the majority of the fuselage, however, examination of the acft and engine did not reveal anything that would have affected normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N81752
Reported as
Piper PA-32R-301
Category
Airplane
Serial number
32R8013079
Engine
Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
David J Blanda
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 2, 1984
Departed
N07 · Lincoln Park, NJ
Destination
SBY · Salisbury, MD
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
SBY · Salisbury-Wicomico, runway 32, 5,500 × 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
37
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Wind
10° at 5 knots
Visibility
1 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
400 ft overcast
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
SBY, 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.