- Date
- November 23, 1988, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Meadows Of Dan, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4194WPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881123051779A
- Case key
- 11451
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
The pilot conducted VFR flight into IMC because of inadequate inflight planning/decision. The aircraft experienced inflight brakup when the pilot was unable to maintain flight within the design stress limits of the aircraft.
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 non-instrument rated plt told witnesses that he would attempt to cross mountains north of the departure airport where he expected to find clear weather before he proceeded west toward his destination. A witness said the weather at the departure airport was about 1200 overcast with good visibility below the overcast. The plt had flown about 35 miles and was over the blue ridge mts, when according to recorded radar data, the acft began to change course about 14 times, including several course reversals, during abo ut a 15 minute period. During this time the acft climbed from 2100 to 7200 ft. a witness near the accident site said it was raining, visibility 1000 ft, and the mountain tops were obscured by clouds when he heard the acft at full power and climbing shortly before he heard a 'muffled' sound followed by silence. The acft experienced an inflight breakup consisting of separated portions of the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4194W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40282
- Airframe hours
- 3,239
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Jerry M. Jones
- Registered owner
- Jerry M Jones
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1988
- Departed
- ZEF · Elkin, NC
- Destination
- RVS · Tulsa, OK
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 473 total · 418 in this make and model · 21 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSO, 40 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.