Piper PA-28R-180 N885MA
28 August 1990 · Richland, Virginia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 August 1990 at about 06:03 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N885MA, operated by Marx Aviation, was involved in an accident near Richland, Virginia, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 06:03
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Richland, Virginia, United States
- Nearest airport
- Richlands Municipal (7A4)
- Coordinates
- 37.0905, -81.7996
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180
- Registration
- N885MA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Marx Aviation
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hickory → Richlands
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- BFO90FA073
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE FROM HIGH TERRAIN. DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS ON A NIGHT, VFR, RETURN FLIGHT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK HIGH TERRAIN ABOUT 1.5 MILE FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AND ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE THE AIRPORT ELEVATION. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE FLIGHT DEPART THE AIRPORT VFR ABOUT THREE HOURS EARLIER, REPORTED THE WEATHER AT THE AIRPORT WAS FOGGY WITH ZERO VISIBILITY AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE SAME WITNESS STATED THE FOG BEGAN TO OCCUR AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT 45 MINUTES AFTER THE EARLIER DEPARTURE. THE WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE ON, BUT THE AIRPORT ROTATING BEACON WAS NOT OPERATING. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT. HE REQUESTED AND WAS GIVEN CONFIRMATION FROM THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS OVER THE AIRPORT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ABOUT 25 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST AT BLUEFIELD, WV, THE WEATHER WAS IN PART: 100' OBSCURATION, VISIBILITY 1/16 MILE WITH FOG, WIND CALM
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Denver City, Texas, United States | Billings, Alton E. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Dec 1990 | Piper PA 28R-200 | Senoia, Georgia, United States | Field Aircraft Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 7 May 1990 | Piper PA-28R | Starbuck, Minnesota, United States | Phoenix Aero Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Mar 1990 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Wonder Lake, Illinois, United States | Eggert, RAY | No injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 1990 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Monee, Illinois, United States | Griffith Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Oct 1990 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Kingsland, Texas, United States | Wright Flyers, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
All 1,342 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Aug 1990 | Cessna 172RG | Onancock, Virginia, United States | ULF D. Uhlig | Fatal | 2 |
| 9 Sep 1990 | Cessna 182R | Evington, Virginia, United States | Shelby Aviation, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Aug 1990 | Bell TH-1L | Galax, Virginia, United States | Ranger Helicopters Services | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1990 | Piper PA-28-180 | Norton, Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 17 Mar 1990 | Cessna 172N | Bedford, Virginia, United States | Virginia Aviation | Fatal | 2 |
| 10 May 1990 | Cessna 210N | Shady Grove Cor, Virginia, United States | Professional Pilot Services | Fatal | 6 |