- Date
- November 19, 1988, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Royal, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8215PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 25, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11486
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 received a wx briefing which forecast IFR after 1800 EST. He departed dca in light drizzle conditions. Arpx 35 NM from dca, radar service was terminated and the plt attempted to contact ATC to no avail. He reported that near the brook VOR the VOR needle was moving sluggishly and the ammeter showed a strong discharge. The plt stated he noted the dg not working. Due to the decrease in ceiling he made a descent to 1000 ft MSL to remain VFR. After 2 or 3 minutes the plt made a 180 deg turn to remain VFR and noted the ceiling had decreased around him and he was in an open area aprx 1 to 2 miles wide. During the turn, plt noted artificial horizon tumbled. He elected to make a precautionary landing on a road during which the left wing contacted a stop sign resulting in substantial damage. Post accident inspection of acft failed to reveal any failure or malfunction of the electrical or vacuum system other than the battery was nearly drained.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8215P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-3468
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1C5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- A.D. Smith, III
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1988 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- DCA · Washington, DC
- Destination
- PVG · Portsmouth, VA
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 202 total · 44 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
Other investigations on N8215P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.