Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-28-140 N5934U

18 January 1996 · Harwich, Massachusetts, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 18 January 1996 at about 20:45 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N5934U was involved in an accident near Harwich, Massachusetts, 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.

The record

Date
at 20:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Harwich, Massachusetts, United States
Nearest airport
Chatham (CQX)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-140
Registration
N5934U
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Chatham → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
IMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC96FA052

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

the pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue flight under visual flight rules, while flying into instrument meteorological conditions. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after entering IMC, which resulted in the subsequent collision with the water. A factor in this accident was that the pilot was not instrument rated.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot departed on a local flight under VFR conditions. About 1.7 hours after departure, witnesses observed the airplane flying south towards the shore line in and out of clouds, about 700 feet above the ground. The airplane turned east when it reached the shore line, paralleled the coast, and reentered the clouds. The airplane was found submerged in water, 1 mile further east. Examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact failure of the airframe or engine. The departure airport weather was IFR until 1200, and the pilot departed about 1400, under a 12,000 foot ceiling and 10 miles visibility. The airport weather returned to a 200 foot ceiling and 3/4 mile visibility, about 1500. There was no record of the pilot obtaining a weather briefing or filing a flight plan.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Apr 1996 Piper PA-28
N8873J
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
8 Aug 1996 Piper PA-28-181
N9137N
Muncie, Indiana, United States - Fatal 2
12 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N210SK
Kumamoto, Japan
no coordinates
McAs Flying Club Serious injuries -
3 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N5705U
Plymouth, California, United States - No injuries -
6 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-180
N6614J
Ely, Nevada, United States Michael E. Scholl Serious injuries -
20 Aug 1996 Piper PA-28-180
N9209J
Hartford, Michigan, United States - Fatal 1

All 9,402 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
14 Jun 1996 Airbus A-320
N347NW
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Northwest Airlines No injuries -
21 Sep 1996 Cessna 150G
N2607J
Templeton, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
28 May 1996 Boeing 767-31AER
PHMCH
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Martinair Holland N.v. No injuries -
25 Oct 1996 Bellanca 8KCAB
N2571Z
Sheffield, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Serious injuries -
22 Jan 1996 Cessna 152
N89813
Norwood, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
21 Dec 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N7246F
Beverly, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 1

All 170,864 records in United States