- Date
- November 14, 1987, 10:07 local (15:07 UTC)
- Place
- Spartansburg, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8318LPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871114064849A
- Case key
- 35971
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 landed at the franklin, PA airport after encountering fog. After making several phone calls and remaining on the ground for about 37 minutes he departed. About 30 minutes later the aircraft was seen circling at a low altitude, flying in and out of the clouds. The engine was heard running at full power and reduced power. The aircraft impacted in a field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8318L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8116122
- Airframe hours
- 4,137
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Beaver Aviation
- Registered owner
- Beaver Aviation Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · November 4, 1987 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- Franklin, PA
- Destination
- Niagara Falls, NY
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 99 total · 7 in this make and model · 39 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft broken
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 N8318L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.