Piper PA-38-112 N9285

Summary

On 5 May 1991 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N9285, operated by Dawn Aeronautics, Inc, was involved in an accident near Odessa, Delaware, 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.

Date

5 May 1991 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Odessa, Delaware, United States

Coordinates

39.4498, -75.6600

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N9285

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Dawn Aeronautics, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wilmington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO91FA048

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOVER FROM A STALL. CONTRIBUTING WAS AN INTENTIONAL STALL OF THE AIRCRAFT, PILOT INEXPEREINCE AND INADEQUATE ALTITUDE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS SAID THEY SAW THE ACFT FLYING IN THE AREA FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES DOING A MANEUVER IN WHICH THE ACFT BANKED AND DESCENDED WITH ENGINE POWER INCREASING DURING THE DESCENT. THE WITNESSES SAID THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES WITH THE ACCIDENT OCCURING THE THIRD TIME. HE SAID THE ACFT WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE DURING THE MANEUVER. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A SWAMP IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE STUDENT PLT FAILED HIS PRIVATE PILOT TEST FLIGHT ABOUT A WEEK EARLIER. ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, DURING THE TEST HE FAILED ALL FLIGHT PHASES. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON HIS SECOND FLIGHT SINCE THE TEST, NEITHER OF WHICH INVOLVED DUAL INSTRUCTION WITH HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.