# NTSB BFO89FA004: Piper PA-34-200, N666RW, Ocean City, MD, October 29, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: October 28, 1988, 20:40 local (Oct 29, 1988, 00:40 UTC)
- Place: Ocean City, MD
- Coordinates: 38.349231, -75.12976 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3492&lon=-75.1298&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 25, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11449
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO89FA004
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11449/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO89FA004

## Probable cause

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE INATTENTION TO ALTITUDE AND DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS OVER ILLUSIONARY PRODUCING FEATURELESS WATER.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach
  - terrain condition - water (contributing factor)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - aircraft handling - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)

## Analysis

WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT FLYING ABOUT 2 MILES NORTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT (OCY) HEADED EAST AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 600 FT AGL. THE ACFT CROSSED THE SHORELINE AND WENT OVER WATER. THE ACFT WAS ABOUT ONE-HALF MILE OFFSHORE WHEN IT TURNED SOUTH. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT BEGAN DESCENDING WHEN IT TURNED. THE DESCENT CONTINUED UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO THE WATER, ABOUT A MILE NORTHEAST OF OCY. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING ENGINE SOUNDS THE ENTIRE TIME. WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED OVER WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PLT WAS DENIED AN FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATE IN AUGUST, 1986 BECAUSE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEFICIENCES. THE PLT'S BODY WAS NOT RECOVERED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N666RW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N666RW-1989-09-13), registration cancelled 1989-09-13, S/N 347350064 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-7350064
- Airframe hours: 1440
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-C1E6 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Roy Williams
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 6, 1987, 35 hours before
- Departed: MD31, FOREST HILL, MD
- Destination: N80, OCEAN CITY, MD

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, expired; flight hours: 2,700 total, 1,850 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SBY, 23 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19881028048539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881028048539A), Oct 28, 1988: Piper PA34200, Ocean City, MD, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Observed low over Ocean offshore. Descend into water during a turn. Dark night conditions. No medical certificate.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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