- Date
- May 31, 1991, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Wallingford, CT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N36069Piper PA-32RT-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910531018459A
- Case key
- 36796
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
The pilot attempting a VFR flight in adverse weather conditions, at an altitude that was insufficient to clear trees along his route of flight. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's lack of instrument rating, and his overconfidence to fly in adverse weather conditions.
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
N36069 was en route to meriden, CT. Thunderstorms and rain showers were forecasted for the entire area. The non instrument rated pilot did not receive a weather briefing. Witnesses heard and saw N36069 flying very low over their homes just before the crash in a wooded area, about 5 miles from the airport. They said the engine sounded 'very loud.' Several witnesses said it was reining very hard at the time of the accident. One witness said visibility was only about '150 feet.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36069
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300 (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R7885154
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Louis R. D'Agostino
- Registered owner
- Lance Transportation & Leasing
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- 5B3 · Danielson, CT
- Destination
- MMK · Meriden, CT
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 950 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 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.