# NTSB BFO89FA058: Piper PA-32-300, N83HA, Libertytown, MD, July 16, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: July 16, 1989, 13:43 local (17:43 UTC)
- Place: Libertytown, MD
- Coordinates: 38.319854, -75.210258 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3199&lon=-75.2103&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 25, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11463
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO89FA058
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11463/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO89FA058

## 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

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - thunderstorm (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, maneuvering
  - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - wing - overload
  - flight control,stabilator - overload
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N83HA-1991-10-10), registration cancelled 1991-10-10, S/N 327240085 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-7240085
- Airframe hours: 3745
- Engines: 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

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890716022379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890716022379A), Jul 16, 1989: Piper PA32300, Liberty Town, MD, Destroyed, 3 fatal. VFR pilot ignored weather flew into storm. ATC unable help. Inflight breakup occured. Spiral dive and abrupt pullup

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.