Accident Piper PA-28-160 N5309W,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36538
 
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Date:Sunday 23 February 1992
Time:16:08 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-160
Owner/operator:Greiner, William J.
Registration: N5309W
MSN: 28-363
Engine model:Lycoming O-320-B2B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Burlington, IL -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Sandwich, IL (C48)
Destination airport:Plato Center, IL (LL53)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN FOG) WHILE RETURNING TO THE HOME BASE AIRPORT. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE DESCEND NOSE FIRST INTO A FIELD LOCATED ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. HE DESCRIBED SEEING THE TOP OF THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE BRIEFLY BEFORE IMPACT, AND STATED THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE ALMOST PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. WEATHER AT DUPAGE COUNTY AIRPORT, 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WAS REPORTED TO BE: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 300 OVERCAST, 1 MILE VISIBILITY, FOG, TEMPERATURE 39 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT (F), DEW POINT 39 DEGREES F, WINDS OUT OF 060 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS. LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE NOISE OF A LOW FLYING AIRPLANE, AND RELATED THAT THE WEATHER HAD DETERIORATED RAPIDLY THAT AFTERNOON.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN CRUISE FLIGHT. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION, THE LOW CEILING AND REDUCED VISIBILITY (FOG).

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI92FA095
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CHI92FA095

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 08:49 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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