Piper PA-28-140 N5886U

Summary

On 22 April 1990 at about 17:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N5886U, operated by William Coleman Thompson, III, was involved in an accident near Ona, West Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1990 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Ona, West Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Ona (12V)

Coordinates

38.4803, -82.2200

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N5886U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

William Coleman Thompson, III

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Baltimore

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO90FA036

2 people died.

THE IMPROPERLY SET STABILATOR TRIM AND THE IMPROPERLY LOADED AIRCRAFT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT LIFTOFF THE RUNWAY AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPEED AND FAIL TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT JUST CLEARED A RIDGELINE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE STABILATOR TRIM SET IN A NOSE HIGH SETTING. COMPUTATION OF THE WT AND BALANCE INDICATED AN OVERWEIGHT AIRCRAFT WITH AN AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY CONDITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.