- Date
- October 2, 1992, 18:15 local (Oct 3, 1992, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Powell, WY
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N32889Piper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921002040069A
- Case key
- 42947
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 in command's failure to assure clearance from the radio tower. Factors contributing to the accident were the marked tower and the pilot in command's inadequate visual lookout.
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 in command advised acquaintances that he intended to fly over their residence on the afternoon of the accident. Witnesses reported observing the aircraft flying low and in a left turn just before it crashed. Wreckage distribution was oriented along a 180 degree bearing line 635 to 650 feet south of a 210 foot high, marked radio tower within a mile of the acquaintances' residence. Impact damage on the tower and aircraft established that the aircraft's left wing leading edge collided with the tower at a point 20 feet below the top of the tower. The outboard section of left wing separated from the aircraft and was found approximately 113 feet south southwest of the tower base.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32889
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7505101
- Airframe hours
- 4,182
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hawkins & Powers Flight Svc, doing business as Powell Aviation
- Registered owner
- Hawkins & Powers Flight Svc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 10, 1992 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- GEY · Greybull, WY
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--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 212 total · 74 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- COD, 16 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.
Other investigations on N32889 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.