# NTSB IAD73AI014: Piper PA-23, N5557Y, Cumberland, MD, April 24, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: April 24, 1973
- Place: Cumberland, MD · CUMBERLAND, MD
- Location: 39.6517° N, 78.7579° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Cumberland, MD, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6517&lon=-78.7579&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 12, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 190804
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD73AI014
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD73AI014

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0960  73/4/24    CUMBERLAND,MD       PIPER PA-23         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 47, 5000
        TIME - 0805                    N5557Y              PX-  0  0  0  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, 199 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - CUMBERLAND MUNI
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CUMBERLAND,MD               JACKSONVILLE,FLA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     TAKEOFF: INITIAL CLIMB
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INITIATED FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
           WEATHER - FOG
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FAILED TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               300
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/2 MILE OR LESS                                         NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       64
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- PLT TURNED INTO FOG SHROUDED HILL JUST AFTER TKOF FROM RWY INTERSECTION. FORMER MILITARY RATED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5557Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5557Y-1973-06-25), registration cancelled 1973-06-25, S/N 27-2659 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Cumberland Muni

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19730424009899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730424009899A), Apr 24, 1973: Piper PA23, Cumberland, WV, Destroyed. Plt turned into fog shrouded hill just after tkof from rwy intersection. Former military rated.

## Other investigations on N5557Y (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA68F0042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA68F0042), Jul 5, 1967: Piper PA-23 (N5557Y), Augusta, GA, substantial damage

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.