- Date
- July 31, 1991, 12:13 local (16:13 UTC)
- Place
- Fogelsville, PA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N28568Piper PA-28-236
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910731030889A
- Case key
- 36802
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 improper decision by the non-instrument rated pilot to attempt VFR flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's overconfidence in his ability, his lack of total flight experience and his lack of an instrument rating.
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 pilot planned a VFR flight, but the weather at the departure airport remained IFR longer than anticipated. The weather was still marginal VFR, when the pilot took off. There were reports of turbulence, thunderstorms and poor visibility in the area. While climbing through 6700 feet, the radar data showed the airplane entered a rapid descent, with vertical velocity exceeding 10,000 feet per minute. The airplane wings separated in flight and a witness saw it spiral into the ground, followed by the wings 3 to 4 minutes later. The pilot had a total flight time of 218 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N28568
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-236
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7911167
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Albert J. Loquasto
- Registered owner
- Albert J. Loquasto
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- 1N9 · Allentown, PA
- Destination
- HLG · Wheeling, WV
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 218.8 total · 65 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft broken
- Observed at
- ABE, 13 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.