Piper PA-32-300 N4194W
23 November 1988 · Meadows of Dan, Virginia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 23 November 1988 at about 18:10 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4194W, operated by Jerry M. Jones, was involved in an accident near Meadows of Dan, Virginia, 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 18:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Meadows of Dan, Virginia, United States
- Coordinates
- 36.7290, -80.4099
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300
- Registration
- N4194W
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Jerry M. Jones
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Elkin → Tulsa
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- BFO89FA012
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT CONDUCTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED INFLIGHT BRAKUP WHEN THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT WITHIN THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT TOLD WITNESSES THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO CROSS MOUNTAINS NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WHERE HE EXPECTED TO FIND CLEAR WEATHER BEFORE HE PROCEEDED WEST TOWARD HIS DESTINATION. A WITNESS SAID THE WEATHER AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS ABOUT 1200 OVERCAST WITH GOOD VISIBILITY BELOW THE OVERCAST. THE PLT HAD FLOWN ABOUT 35 MILES AND WAS OVER THE BLUE RIDGE MTS, WHEN ACCORDING TO RECORDED RADAR DATA, THE ACFT BEGAN TO CHANGE COURSE ABOUT 14 TIMES, INCLUDING SEVERAL COURSE REVERSALS, DURING ABO UT A 15 MINUTE PERIOD. DURING THIS TIME THE ACFT CLIMBED FROM 2100 TO 7200 FT. A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE SAID IT WAS RAINING, VISIBILITY 1000 FT, AND THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS WHEN HE HEARD THE ACFT AT FULL POWER AND CLIMBING SHORTLY BEFORE HE HEARD A 'MUFFLED' SOUND FOLLOWED BY SILENCE. THE ACFT EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT BREAKUP CONSISTING OF SEPARATED PORTIONS OF THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1988 | Piper PA-32-300 | Akron, New York, United States | REX Miller Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 27 May 1988 | Piper PA-32-300 | Scottsdale, Arizona, United States | West Valley Flying Club | No injuries | - |
| 18 May 1988 | Piper PA-32-260 | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 24 Nov 1988 | Piper PA-32-260 | Marquette, Michigan, United States | Northern Airmotive Partners | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Jan 1988 | Piper PA-32-260 | Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1988 | Piper PA-32-300 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | Michael W. Guidry | Minor injuries | - |
All 1,695 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1988 | Beechcraft C23 | Manassas, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 May 1988 | Cessna 150J | Winchester, Virginia, United States | Charles S. Guenther | No injuries | - |
| 11 May 1988 | Mooney M-20J | Yorktown, Virginia, United States | Thomas A. Gurkin | No injuries | - |
| 14 May 1988 | Cessna 172RG | Mathew, Virginia, United States | Mideastern Airways Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 1988 | Piper PA-28-181 | Reedville, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 1988 | Travel Air D4D | Roanoke, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |