- Date
- July 30, 1989, 15:25 local (19:25 UTC)
- Place
- Cumberland, MD
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N38370Piper PA-28
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11446
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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Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to takeoff in deteriorating weather conditions. Related factors were: the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing prior to departure, and his lack of an instrument rating.
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 departed the arpt on the second leg of a x-country flt, when an accident occurred. He reported that he was unable to obtain a wx briefing prior to departure and intended to call flt watch once airborne. He reported that after departure, a thunderstorm was encountered and he initiated a 180 deg turn back to the arpt. The plt stated that due to severe turbulence, he elected to make an emergency landing on a road. When the acft was on final apch to land, a truck and trailer pulled out on the road and the plt attempted a go-around. He reported that during the go-around, another downdraft was experienced and he veered the acft to the left to avoid the truck. The acft then hit an overpass and descended to the road below. Other local plts stated there was no turbulence in the area that day, but the weather was deteriorating rapidly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38370
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7725278
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ernie Garner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CBE · Cumberland, MD
- Destination
- MGW · Morgantown, WV
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 194 total · 166 in this make and model · 194 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CBE, 8 nm away