Piper PA-24-250 N8215P

Summary

On 19 November 1988 at about 21:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N8215P was involved in an accident near Port Royal, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

19 November 1988 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Royal, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.1591, -77.1897

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N8215P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Washington → Portsmouth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

BFO89LA011

Nobody was 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

THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING WHICH FORECAST IFR AFTER 1800 EST. HE DEPARTED DCA IN LIGHT DRIZZLE CONDITIONS. ARPX 35 NM FROM DCA, RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ATC TO NO AVAIL. HE REPORTED THAT NEAR THE BROOK VOR THE VOR NEEDLE WAS MOVING SLUGGISHLY AND THE AMMETER SHOWED A STRONG DISCHARGE. THE PLT STATED HE NOTED THE DG NOT WORKING. DUE TO THE DECREASE IN CEILING HE MADE A DESCENT TO 1000 FT MSL TO REMAIN VFR. AFTER 2 OR 3 MINUTES THE PLT MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO REMAIN VFR AND NOTED THE CEILING HAD DECREASED AROUND HIM AND HE WAS IN AN OPEN AREA APRX 1 TO 2 MILES WIDE. DURING THE TURN, PLT NOTED ARTIFICIAL HORIZON TUMBLED. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROAD DURING WHICH THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A STOP SIGN RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF ACFT FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL OR VACUUM SYSTEM OTHER THAN THE BATTERY WAS NEARLY DRAINED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.