# NTSB NYC90FA225: Piper PA-30, Berlin, VT, September 22, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: September 22, 1990, 13:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place: Berlin, VT
- Location: 44.2098° N, 72.6041° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Town of Berlin, VT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2098&lon=-72.6041&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 17, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36550
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC90FA225
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36550/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90FA225

## Probable cause

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - drizzle/mist (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - stall/spin - uncontrolled, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HALIFAX FOR BURLINGTON, LOADED ABOUT 400 LBS ABOVE ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. HOWEVER, THE EN ROUTE FUEL BURN-OFF HAD REDUCED ITS WEIGHT WITHIN LIMITS. AFTER THE FLIGHT REACHED THE MONTPELIER AREA, THE WEATHER DETERIORATED TO IFR CONDITIONS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN INTO CLOUDS SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE IT CRASHED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO SPIN OUT OF LOW CLOUDS. THE AUTOPILOT ROLL AXIS WAS FOUND ON, THE PITCH AXIS WAS OFF AND THE ELEVATOR WAS TRIMMED TO A NEAR FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: CFSKO (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 30813
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-320-B 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Ken D. Jones
- Departed: YHZ, HALIFAX
- Destination: BTV, BURLINGTON, VT
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; private, foreign; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; toxicology performed; flight hours: 640 total, 107 in this make and model, 581 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: MPV, 8 nm away

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

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