- Date
- September 18, 1991, 10:25 local (14:25 UTC)
- Place
- Belington, WV
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2126PPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910918045149A
- Case key
- 11709
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's failure to maintain clearance above the terrain which resulted in inflight collision with the terrain. Contributing was mountainous terrain.
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 acft collided with a mountain and it had been missing for about 3 weeks when it was found. The acft was headed 140 degrees when it struck the west side of the mountain. The acft wreckage debris was strewn a distance of about 300 feet. The flight was along the route of flight. The examination did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2126P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7990290
- Airframe hours
- 1,979
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stear, Jackson C. & Barbara J.
- Registered owner
- Stear, Jackson C. & Barbara J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1991 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- 8G6 · Cadiz, OH
- Destination
- PHF · Newport News, 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
- 63
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 17,392 total · 1,659 in this make and model · 10,450 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.