- Date
- May 29, 1990, 01:45 local (05:45 UTC)
- Place
- Rome, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8376NPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900529017429A
- Case key
- 36535
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
An inflight loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of an instrument rating, and his decision to make the flight after receiving three separate briefings where he was told 'VFR flight not recommended.'
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 non-instrument rated pvt pilot was flying from hamilton, Canada, to berlin, NJ at night. He stopped at buffalo, NY and received a weather briefing with vnr (VFR flight not recommended) due to rain, low clouds, and fog. He departed VFR and contacted williamsport afss, received an en route briefing and then made an unplanned stop at elmira, NY. While on the ground he received two additional briefings, both with vnr. He again departed VFR and contacted the NY ARTCC for VFR advisories. He said he was at 3200 ft, however NY center said 4200 feet was the minimum radar vecotring altitude. He finally climbed to 4000 ft and disappeared from radar after approximately 1 1/2 minutes. The last few radar contacts showed a left turn approx twice standard rate. The ground impact showed the airplane in a left turn at impact. Witnesses on the ground reported rain and fog. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8376N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8190217
- Airframe hours
- 2,482
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Garden State Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 18, 1990 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- ELM · Elmira, NY
- Destination
- 19N · Camden, NJ
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 308 total · 235 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BGM, 18 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.