Raleigh-Durham Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Raleigh, North Carolina 27623
Wednesday, July 5, 1995 4:16 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY AIRPORT, LOUISBURG, NC, FOLLOWING TWO RADAR APPROACHES AND TWO INSTRUMENT APPROACHES DUE TO THE LOW CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY. HE THEN DIVERTED TO RALEIGH-DURHAM AIRPORT FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACH. ACCORDING TO RECORDED RADAR DATA, THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRCRAFT DEVIATED FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE CENTERLINE FOR MOST OF THE APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 23L AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET MSL. THE DECISION HEIGHT FOR THE ILS RUNWAY 23L APPROACH IS 636 FEET MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to follow proper IFR procedures by descending below the decision height. Factors relating to the accident were the weather conditions and the dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 416
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RALEIGH
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27623
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RALEIGH-DURHAM INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RDU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 437
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1267
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15743
NTSB Number ATL95FA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7335085
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 23 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 3919
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAKE AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4001 GUMLEAF DR.
Aircraft Owner City APEX
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD E. BERNSTEIN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4906 NE HWY 96
Operator City SELMA
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27576
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ALB
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 2304
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RDU
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23L
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --