Piper PA-32-300 N83HA

Summary

On 16 July 1989 at about 17:43 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N83HA, operated by Powell Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Libertytown, Maryland, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 1989 at 17:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Libertytown, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

38.3199, -75.2103

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N83HA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Powell Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Norfolk → Teterboro

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO89FA058

3 people died.

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO DISORIENTATION, AND OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE WINGS AND STABILATOR DUE TO THE PILOT EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. WHILE EN ROUTE AT 9500 FT, THE PLT RPRTD HE HAD ENCOUNTERED HVY RAIN & HE REQUESTED VECTORS AROUND THE STORM. THE ATC CONTROLLER (CTLR) REPLIED THAT HE COULD NOT PROVIDE WX INFO DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS OF THE ATC RADAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT RPRTD '(WE'RE) IN TROUBLE. WE'RE COMING THROUGH SOME VERY HEAVY THUNDER.' THE CTLR SUGGESTED THE PLT TURN RIGHT TO 180 DEG TO REVERSE COURSE. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE WAS 'TURNING RIGHT 180 . . .' THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN IN-FLT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF ABOUT 1 MILE. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACDNT SITE RPRTD THAT THEY HEARD AN ACFT FLYING IN WX THEY DESCRIBED AS HVY RAIN, STRONG WINDS & LOW CLOUDS. ALSO, WITNESSES RPRTD THAT THE SOUND OF THE ENG WAS 'OSCILLATING' BEFORE THE PLANE CRASHED. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. ABT 11 WEST, THE SALISBURY WX WAS IN PART: 500' BKN, 1000' OVC, VIS 1/2 MI WITH RAIN & FOG.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.