- Date
- August 13, 1992, 16:57 local (20:57 UTC)
- Place
- Bradford, NY
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N44AEPiper PA-28R-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920813031479A
- Case key
- 37070
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
A mechanical malfunction of the artificial horizon in IMC that resulted in spatial disorientation of the pilot and his inability to maintain airplane orientation. A factor in the accident was the improper maintenance of the artificial horizon.
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 and passengers were returning to ithaca, NY., after a business trip to Indiana. The pilot had departed under VFR conditions but received an IFR clearance en route due to deteriorating weather conditions near his destination. He was at 5,000 feet and being vectored to the final approach course for the VOR approach to rwy 14, when he reported that he 'just lost the gyros.' Radio and radar contact were lost shortly thereafter. The wreckage was found 4 days later in a wooded area. Examination of the engine driven vacuum pump revealed it was capable of normal operation. The examination of the artificial horizon revealed that due to 'dirt packed in the filter' and evidence that the gyro was 'poorly maintained,' it was the opinion of the quality control inspector for mid continent instrument company that the 'this unit was not reliable enough to fly with.' The pilot's personal flight time logbook was not recovered, thus, instrument proficiency could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44AE
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- PA28R30207
- Airframe hours
- 4,347
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-B1E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Automated Environments Inc.
- Registered owner
- Automated Environments Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 5, 1992 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- FKR · Frankfort, IN
- Destination
- ELM · Elmira, NY
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,700 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ELM, 15 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.