Plane Crash List

Piper PA-28R-200 N777CL

19 January 1991 · Sherburne, Vermont, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 19 January 1991 at about 18:44 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N777CL, operated by Gerald P. Healy, was involved in an accident near Sherburne, Vermont, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 18:44
Classification
Accident
Location
Sherburne, Vermont, United States
Nearest airport
Rutland (RUT)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-28R-200
Registration
N777CL
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Gerald P. Healy
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Montpelier → Mount Holly
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
IMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC91LA061

People

2 people were seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 2 0 0

Probable cause

THE PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS WITH AN AIRPLANE NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND CONTACT WITH TREES IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOTS DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR MODERATE ICING, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE AIRPLANE'S LIMITATIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CFI RECEIVED A PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FORECAST MODERATE ICING CONDITIONS. HE TOOK OFF WITH A STUDENT, IN AN AIRPLANE EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED PITOT TUBE, BUT NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS. 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATIONS. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHEN HE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS. IN A POST CRASH INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED AUTOMATICALLY AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THEM, AND THIS CONDITION CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE STUDENT PILOT ON BOARD SAID THE CFI SUCCESSFULLY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND THE AIRPLANE STILL COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28R accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
14 May 1991 Piper PA-28R-201
N804ND
Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States University of North Dakota No injuries -
22 Mar 1991 Piper PA-28R-200
N7523C
Ashland, Alabama, United States Sunny Skies, Inc. Fatal 4
5 Jun 1991 Piper PA-28R-200
N111CP
Pulaski, Wisconsin, United States Ernestine A. Beyer No injuries -
29 Mar 1991 Piper PA-28R-180
N7454J
New Port Richey, Florida, United States Wieser, Carol A. No injuries -
27 Mar 1991 Piper PA-28R-200
N55516
Sanford, Florida, United States Comair Aviation Academy, Inc. No injuries -
4 Sep 1991 Piper PA-28R-200
N2080T
Redwood City, California, United States Crawford, Jeffrey C. Serious injuries -

All 1,342 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 Jul 1991 Cessna 152
N69061
Rutland, Vermont, United States
approximate position
Alpine Aviation No injuries -
31 Oct 1991 Piper PA-28-180
N8855J
West Wardsboro, Vermont, United States
approximate position
Stuart P. Dauchy Fatal 1
19 Jul 1991 Valentin Gmb H TAIFUN 17E
N333VT
West Arlington, Vermont, United States
approximate position
Orth, Robert H. Fatal 1
13 Oct 1991 Denney Aircraft Behn KIT FOX III
N898KG
Hartford, Vermont, United States
approximate position
Peter C. Behn No injuries -
25 May 1991 Piper PA-28-151
N8433C
Shelburne, Vermont, United States
approximate position
Walter A. Straub Fatal 1
19 Sep 1991 Convair CV-580
CFICA
Belvedere Ctr, Vermont, United States
not on the map
Canair Cargo Ltd Fatal 2

All 170,864 records in United States