Piper PA-24-180 N8088P

Summary

On 14 October 1988 at about 10:05 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N8088P, operated by IRA Hanson, was involved in an accident near Alexandria, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 October 1988 at 10:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Alexandria, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

45.8707, -95.3700

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-180

Registration

N8088P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

IRA Hanson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alexandria → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI89LA011

1 person was seriously injured.

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PLT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM HIS INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT NIGHT AND UNEVEN TERRAIN (HIGHWAY MEDIAN) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT CRASHED AS THE PLT WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT NIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT INITIALLY, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY. IT THEN BOUNCED OVER THE EASTBOUND LANE(S) & SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO REST IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THE OCCURRENCE, THE PLT RECEIVED A CONCUSSION & COULD NOT REMEMBER THE ACDNT. NO FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL WAS NOTED IN THE PLT'S BREATH. A BLOOD SAMPLE WAS DRAWN ABOUT 1 HR AFTER THE ACDNT. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE BLOOD SHOWED THE PLT HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.12% (GRAMS/100 ML). THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 7/17/86.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.