- Date
- July 2, 1992, 22:20 local (Jul 3, 1992, 03:20 UTC)
- Place
- Belmont, WI
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9735JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920702023809A
- Case key
- 15484
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 poor planning/decision making. Related factors are the low ceilings and fog, the dark night, the pilot's inaccurate weather evaluation and diverted attention, and the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the higher terrain encountered.
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 departed at night in instrument meteorological conditions without a flight plan. About ten minutes after takeoff, the pilot realized weather conditions were 'FAR poorer' than expected and the fog was hampering his vision. He chose to return to the departure airport, and was in a left hand turn when the airplane impacted trees. The pilot stated due to the poor weather his attention was diverted from navigation. The airplane had wandered several miles off course, into an area of higher terrain. A post-impact ground fire ensued.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9735J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-3928
- Airframe hours
- 3,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Timber City Flyers, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Timber City Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1992 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- C32 · Mineral Point, WI
- Destination
- OQW · Maquoketa, IA
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 900 total · 880 in this make and model · 880 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DBQ, 30 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.