Piper PA-28-181 N2093A

Summary

On 3 August 1993 at about 02:34 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N2093A was involved in an accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts, 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

3 August 1993 at 02:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Provincetown (PVC)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N2093A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Pottstown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC93FA140

2 people died.

THE PILOT INITIATING VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS RESULTING IN WING OVERLOAD AND SEPARATION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFER'S ADVISORY THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT TIME AND NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT HAD CALLED FSS 6 TIMES, FROM 1152 TO 2201, FOR WEATHER FOR A VFR FLIGHT FROM CAPE COD AND PROVINCETOWN,MA TO POTTSTOWN,PA. DURING THE 1152, 1254, AND 1401 BRIEFINGS HE WAS ADVISED OF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT. DURING THE 2018 BRIEFING HE WAS ADVISED OF 2 SIGMETS AND THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. DURING THE THE 2201 BRIEFING HE WAS AGAIN ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND FOG IN THE PROVINCETOWN AREA AND FORECASTED IFR CONDITIONS EN ROUTE. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM PROVINCETOWN, THE AIRPLANE WAS HEARD CIRCLING LOW, AND THEN OBSERVED DESCENDING OUT OF THE CLOUDS. THE RIGHT WING HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. AN AIRLINE PILOT WITNESS ESTIMATED VISIBILITY AT 1 MI. ALTHOUGH A SMALL AREA OF PREEXISTING FATIGUE CRACKING WAS FOUND ON THE LOWER WING SPAR BREAK, EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE WING HAD SUSTAINED HIGH LOADS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO SEPARATION. DURING HIS LAST PHYSICAL DURING 4/93 THE PILOT REPORTED 5 HRS TOTAL NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. CRASH SITE WAS A TRAILER PARK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.