Piper PA-28-180 N9735J

Summary

On 3 July 1992 at about 03:20 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N9735J, operated by Timber City Flyers, Inc., was involved in an accident near Belmont, Wisconsin, United States. 5 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 July 1992 at 03:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Belmont, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

42.7299, -90.3308

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N9735J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Timber City Flyers, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mineral Point → Maquoketa

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI92LA194

3 people had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S POOR PLANNING/DECISION MAKING. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE LOW CEILINGS AND FOG, THE DARK NIGHT, THE PILOT'S INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION AND DIVERTED ATTENTION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE HIGHER TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DEPARTED AT NIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. ABOUT TEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REALIZED WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE 'FAR POORER' THAN EXPECTED AND THE FOG WAS HAMPERING HIS VISION. HE CHOSE TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, AND WAS IN A LEFT HAND TURN WHEN THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES. THE PILOT STATED DUE TO THE POOR WEATHER HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED FROM NAVIGATION. THE AIRPLANE HAD WANDERED SEVERAL MILES OFF COURSE, INTO AN AREA OF HIGHER TERRAIN. A POST-IMPACT GROUND FIRE ENSUED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.