- Date
- July 1, 1993, 03:30 local (07:30 UTC)
- Place
- California, MD
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5291LPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report September 27, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930701024419A
- Case key
- 8753
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 initiating VFR flight in instrument meteorological conditions. Factors which contributed to the accident were: the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing, his lack of sleep, and the existing weather conditions.
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 pilot took off in the early morning hours into marginal VFR and/or IMC conditions. No weather briefing, flight plan, or radio communications were recorded by any FAA facility. The airplane impacted trees less than 1 mi from the airport, and was found 17 days later. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre=impact mechanical malfunctions. The airplane was flown by other pilots for about 6 hrs total time 1 day prior to the accident with no significant discrepancies noted. Witnesses reported that the pilot had at least 'one or two' mixed alcoholic beverages before 2100. The medical examiner performed a toxicological analysis on a specimen of muscle tissue to screen for alcohol - the finding was negative. Witness statements indicate that the pilot had been awake for over 18 hrs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5291L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4592
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Airpark Sales And Service, Inc
- Registered owner
- Francis G. Baker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 17, 1993
- Destination
- PVG · Hampton Roads, VA
- Airport
- 2W6 · St. Mary'S County
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,128 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NHK, 15 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.
Other investigations on N5291L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.