Piper PA-28-160 N5444W

Summary

On 17 June 1986 at about 00:40 local time, a Piper PA-28-160 registered N5444W, operated by Paul B. Essex, was involved in an accident near Michellville, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

17 June 1986 at 00:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Michellville, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Freeway (WOO)

Coordinates

38.9500, -76.7296

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-160

Registration

N5444W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paul B. Essex

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

College Park → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

BFO86FA036

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER CIRCLING AROUND THE AIRPORT, TRYING TO RAISE SOMEBODY ON UNICOM TO FIND OUT WIND CONDITIONS AT THE FIELD, THE PILOT NOTED THE LIGHTED WINDSOCK INDICATOR AND ELECTED TO LAND TO THE NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO LAND LONG ON THE 2420 FOOT RUNWAY, TOUCHING DOWN PAST THE MIDWAY POINT, AND THEN THE ENGINE SOUNDS INCREASED. IT WAS NEXT OBSERVED TO CROSS OVER A HIGHWAY OFF THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDE WITH THE TOP BRANCHES OF A TREE BEFORE NOSING DOWN INTO A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MISSED ALL SIGNS OF A DOWNWIND LANDING UNTIL TOO LATE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.