Piper PA-28R-201T N64MB

Summary

On 31 July 1989 at about 05:08 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T registered N64MB, operated by Archer Assoc. Inc, was involved in an accident near College Park, Maryland, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 July 1989 at 05:08

Classification

Accident

Location

College Park, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

38.9905, -76.9303

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201T

Registration

N64MB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Archer Assoc. Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlantic City → Manassas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO89FA065

4 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND HIS EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE STABILATORS AND WINGS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES, HIS LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT ALLOWED BY THE PILOT, DARK NIGHT, AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT & PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING FROM AN EVENING X-COUNTRY FLT WITH THE FLT OPERATING IN IMC, FORECASTED TO CONTAIN RAIN SHOWERS & THUNDERSTORMS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED AFTER AN IN-FLT BREAKUP. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR, THEN THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF BOTH WINGS HAD FAILED IN A DOWN & AFT DIRECTION. THE STABILATOR AND PORTIONS OF THE WINGS WERE FOUND ABOUT 1200' FROM THE FUSELAGE. RADAR DATA INDICATED THE ACFT HAD ENTERED AN INCREASING LEFT DESCENDING TURN, FOLLOWED BY A RAPID DESCENT RATE JUST BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. THE ACFT'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 3000 LBS. ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT WAS 2900 LBS. A REVIEW OF THE PLT'S LOG INDICATED THAT HE HAD OBTAINED ONE HOUR OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME & ONE INSTRUMENT APPROACH IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.