Cessna 320C N85WM

Summary

On 16 August 1994 at about 21:27 local time, a Cessna 320C registered N85WM was involved in an accident near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died. 2 people on the ground also died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 1994 at 21:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

39.7499, -77.5803

Aircraft

Cessna 320C

Registration

N85WM

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rochester → Winchester

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC94FA160

2 people died, including 2 on the ground.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/spin and his lack of qualification to conduct flight in type aircraft. A factor is the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUISING AT 6000 FEET, WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. ATC VECTORED HIM TO AN AIRPORT FOR AN ILS APPROACH. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS: 1500 BROKEN, 2000 OVERCAST, 1 1/2 MILES WITH LIGHT RAIN, WITH LIGHT WINDS. WHILE ON VECTORS, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RESTARTED, BUT WAS 'NOT RUNNING WELL.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE COULD NOT 'TUNE IN' THE ILS. AN FAA FACILITY CHECK AIRPLANE RATED THE ILS AS SATISFACTORY. THE PILOT NEVER INTERCEPTED THE ILS, AND THE AIRPLANE ALTITUDE VARIED BETWEEN 2600 AND 3900 FEET. WITNESSES HEARD AN ENGINE 'SPUTTERING,' AND OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 'FLYING ERRATICALLY, IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS...CIRCLING AND TURNING...CLIMBING INTO THE CLOUDS AT A STEEP ANGLE, FOLLOWED BY A NEARLY VERTICAL DESCENT INTO A HOUSE.' THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A MULTI-ENGINE RATING. HE ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN A MULTI-ENGINE RATING 15 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT FAILED 3 ATTEMPTS. IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, THE PILOT FLEW AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 22 HOURS. THE ENGINES WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED DURING THE IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINES REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.