- Date
- January 31, 1990, 20:29 local (Feb 1, 1990, 02:29 UTC)
- Place
- Coalgate, OK
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9235ZPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 10, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900131001439A
- Case key
- 23008
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
Flight into known adverse weather conditions by the non-instrument rated pilot, and his subsequent spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. Factors related to the accident were: inoperative instrument panel lights, dark night, adverse weather conditions, unreliable flashlight, the pilot's visual perception, and his lack of instrument experience.
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 was 1 of 3 used in a political campaign in Oklahoma. After lndg at mcalester, the plt went with the campaign group while the otr 2 plts stayed at the arpt & checked the wx. After the group rtrnd, flt to the next stop (idabel) wascanceled due to bad wx. The non-inst rated plt elected to rtrn at ngt to ardmore, though he had said the inst panel lgtswere inop. He tried to obtain batteries for his flashlight at the arpt, but was unable. The plt of N9235Z did not get anfaa wx briefing. He asked 1 of the otr plts about the wx & was told it was bad at ardmore, but was better to the north &northwest. After takeoff, the acft flew nrly an hr bfr it crashed near Coalgate. A person, who heard the crash, said thevis was poor & the ngt was very dark; also, he said a storm occurred shortly after the plane flew over. Impact occurred in a steep, nose down, inverted attitude. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the acft was fnd. The 2055 CST wx at ardmore was in part: 600' ovc, vis 7 mi with lgt rain & fog. The acft was fnd on a farm on 2/4/90 by the land owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9235Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40368
- Airframe hours
- 1,985
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Roy E. Stiner
- Registered owner
- Stiner, Roy E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 30, 1990 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- MLC · Mcalester, OK
- Destination
- 1F0 · Ardmore, OK
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 607 total · 250 in this make and model · 524 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 130° at 12 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ADM, 51 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.