Accident Piper PA-28-161 N44897,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38727
 
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Date:Tuesday 19 June 1990
Time:00:07
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-161
Owner/operator:private
Registration: N44897
MSN: 28-7816039
Engine model:LYCOMING O-320-D3G
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Greenville, Piscataquis County, ME -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Beverly, MA (BVY)
Destination airport:Greenville, ME (3B1)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TOWARD THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS, THOUGH HE TRIED ACTIVATING THEM WITH HIS MIKE SWITCH. HE MADE SEVERAL ORBITING TURNS ABOUT 3 TO 8 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPORT WAS SHROUDED IN HEAVY GROUND FOG AND THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT 2 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT QUALIFIED, BUT HE HAD ABOUT 66 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE. THE LAST RADAR RETURN SHOWED THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 1600 FT MSL, FLYING IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION ABOUT 4 MI SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. ON 6/24/90, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 7 MI SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. IT HAD COLLIDED WITH A 1600 FT MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1460 FT. CAUSE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE, WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AT NIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG OBSCURING THE DESTINATION AIRPORT LIGHTS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION AT NIGHT.

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X23516

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]

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