Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-32-260 N3309W

28 November 1989 · Coventry, Connecticut, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 28 November 1989 at about 10:50 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N3309W, operated by James A. Marshall, was involved in an accident near Coventry, Connecticut, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 10:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Coventry, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-32-260
Registration
N3309W
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
James A. Marshall
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Broadbrook → Groton
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
IMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
NYC90FA036

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INITIATING VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC ON A DARK NIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO THE GROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE ADVERSE WEATHER EXISTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO GET TO WORK.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A FRIEND OF THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT WAS RAINING AND FOGGY AS SHE DROVE HIM TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. SHE ALSO SAID THAT WORK WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PILOT, AND THAT HE FELT THAT HE HAD TO GET TO WORK. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, THERE WAS WIND, RAIN OF VARYING INTENSITY, LOW CLOUDS AND REDUCED VISIBILITYAVERAGING BETWEEN 1/4 AND 1 MILE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-32 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Mar 1989 Piper PA-32
N4257T
Kasigluk, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
26 Apr 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N8654N
Eufaula, Oklahoma, United States Bauer, Kathleen No injuries -
26 Nov 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N416CP
Boulder City, Nevada, United States Bellis, James E. No injuries -
1 Aug 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N8909N
Danbury, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
Miles B Reese No injuries -
16 Jun 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N32062
Eek, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
23 Jun 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N15306
Tuntutuliak, Alaska, United States - No injuries -

All 1,695 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
25 Jul 1989 Piper PA-28-161
N29216
Stonington, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
Michael Kahlman Serious injuries -
5 Aug 1989 Cessna R172K
N758QB
Griswold, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
Freedom Aviation No injuries -
19 Aug 1989 Schweizer SGS-2-32
N414LF
Plymouth, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
11 Oct 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N4106W
Glastonbury, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 2
12 May 1989 Smith MINI DSA-1
N21H
Sterling, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 1
30 Sep 1989 Hancock MINI-MAX II
N2079A
Chester, Connecticut, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States