Piper PA-28-181 N8261L

Summary

On 29 May 1995 at about 13:25 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N8261L was involved in an accident near Jefferson Twp, Ohio, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 May 1995 at 13:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Jefferson Twp, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N8261L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dayton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC95FA127

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which resulted in a collision with terrain during a descent.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DEPARTED ON AN INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY FLIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE FIRST 30 MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT, WHICH INCLUDED A PRACTICE APPROACH, MISSED APPROACH, AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, WERE NORMAL. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS ISSUED A DESCENT FROM 4,000 TO 3,000 FEET. THE PILOT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS SLOW AND HESITANT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND IN A DESCENDING LEFT BANK, AT A HIGH RATE OF AIRSPEED, WITH HIGH PITCHED ENGINE SOUNDS. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT FAILURES OF THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME. THE CLOUD LAYER IN THE AREA WAS ABOVE 3,000 FEET, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 MILES. FAMILY MEMBERS AND CO-WORKERS REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS EMPLOYED AS A CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR, AND WAS ON ASSIGNMENT OUT OF STATE. THE PILOT WORKED 12 TO 14-HOUR DAYS, AND HAD BEEN COMMUTING HOME ON WEEKENDS. A C0-WORKER STATED THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD FALLEN ASLEEP IN TRAFFIC DURING THE DRIVE INTO WORK. THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER REPORTED THAT HER FATHER LOOKED TIRED 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.