Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-28-161 N2950K

21 May 1992 · Morrisville, Vermont, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 21 May 1992 at about 01:50 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N2950K, operated by Beverly Flight Center, was involved in an accident near Morrisville, Vermont, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 01:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Morrisville, Vermont, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-161
Registration
N2950K
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Beverly Flight Center
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Beverly
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
BFO92LA070

People

4 people had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
4 0 0 4 0

Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND THE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT OVER THREE MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST TAKEOFF FROM THIS AIRPORT, HAVING FLOWN THERE EARLIER THAT DAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE USED 25 DEGREES OF FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF, AND THEN CLIMBED AT 60 KNOTS. HE SAID DURING THE DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRPORT,'THE SURROUNDINGS GOT DARKER AND DARKER.' AS HE CLIMBED THROUGH 1000 FEET MSL HE GRADUALLY RAISED THE FLAPS AND INCREASED SPEED TO 80 KNOTS. HE CLIMBED NORTH, DIRECT TO THE MONTPIELER VOR. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS 'AMAZED HOW DARK IT WAS, BARELY ABLE TO DISTINGUISH THE HORIZON.' HE THEN SAW TREES AHEAD IN THE PATH OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO AVOID BY PULLING BACK ON THE CONTROL WHEEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED JUST AS THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES. THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND AND A FIRE ERUPTED AFTER THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Feb 1992 Piper PA-28-161
N20974
New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States
no coordinates
ACS, Inc. No injuries -
22 Jan 1992 Piper PA-28-140
N107EH
Denton, Texas, United States Thomas A. Tweeddale No injuries -
26 Feb 1992 Piper PA-28-140
N595SP
Woodland, California, United States MR. Aircraft, Inc. No injuries -
21 Nov 1992 Piper PA-28-140
N1892J
Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States Brookfield Pilot Service, Inc. Fatal 2
6 Dec 1992 Piper PA-28-181
N81453
Missing Acft, California, United States
no coordinates
West Valley Flying Club Fatal 4
29 Mar 1992 Piper PA-28-161
N82757
Kenai, Alaska, United States Tapp, Michael A. No injuries -

All 9,402 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 May 1992 Cessna 150
N27395
Warren, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
Robert Milne No injuries -
24 Jul 1992 George A Chaffee KITFOX II
N376GC
Shelburne, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
Chaffee, George Minor injuries -
4 Jul 1991 Cessna 152
N69061
Rutland, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
Alpine Aviation No injuries -
6 Sep 1993 Piper PA-28-161
N6911C
Stowe, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
Prontoaire, Inc. Minor injuries -
31 Oct 1991 Piper PA-28-180
N8855J
West Wardsboro, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
Stuart P. Dauchy Fatal 1
7 Nov 1993 Schweizer SGS 2-33A
N1178S
Morrisville, Vermont, United States
no coordinates
Peter H Smyth No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States