- Date
- July 16, 1989, 13:43 local (17:43 UTC)
- Place
- Libertytown, MD
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N83HAPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 25, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890716022379A
- Case key
- 11463
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
Continued VFR flight by the non-instrument rated pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which resulted in the pilot's loss of aircraft control due to disorientation, and overload failure of the wings and stabilator due to the pilot exceeding the design stress limits of the aircraft. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions and the pilot's lack of instrument 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
Before takeoff, the non-instrument rated plt was advised that VFR flt was not recommended. While en route at 9500 ft, the plt rprtd he had encountered hvy rain & he requested vectors around the storm. The ATC controller (ctlr) replied that he could not provide wx info due to the limitations of the ATC radar. Subsequently, the plt rprtd '(we're) in trouble. We're coming through some very heavy thunder.' The ctlr suggested the plt turn right to 180 deg to reverse course. The plt acknowledged that he was 'turning right 180 . . .' There was no further radio contact with the acft. Subsequently, an in-flt breakup of the acft occurred & wreckage was scattered over an area of about 1 mile. Witnesses near the acdnt site rprtd that they heard an acft flying in wx they described as hvy rain, strong winds & low clouds. Also, witnesses rprtd that the sound of the eng was 'oscillating' before the plane crashed. No pre-acdnt part failure or malfunction was found. Abt 11 west, the salisbury wx was in part: 500' bkn, 1000' ovc, vis 1/2 mi with rain & fog.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83HA
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7240085
- Airframe hours
- 3,745
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Powell Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Cherokee Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 10, 1989 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- ORF · Norfolk, VA
- Destination
- TEB · Teterboro, NJ
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 320 total · 1 in this make and model · 261 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBY, 10 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.