Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wallingford, Connecticut
Friday, May 31, 1991 16:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N36069 WAS EN ROUTE TO MERIDEN, CT. THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN SHOWERS WERE FORECASTED FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE A WEATHER BRIEFING. WITNESSES HEARD AND SAW N36069 FLYING VERY LOW OVER THEIR HOMES JUST BEFORE THE CRASH IN A WOODED AREA, ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THEY SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED 'VERY LOUD.' SEVERAL WITNESSES SAID IT WAS REINING VERY HARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ONE WITNESS SAID VISIBILITY WAS ONLY ABOUT '150 FEET.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT ATTEMPTING A VFR FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR TREES ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT RATING, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE TO FLY IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WALLINGFORD
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 257
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43352
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36069
NTSB Number NYC91FA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7885154
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LANCE TRANSPORTATION & LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 100 WEST 10TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LOUIS R. D'AGOSTINO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1403 E. MAIN ST.
Operator City MERIDEN
Operator State CT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06050
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 5B3
Departure City DANIELSON
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MMK
Destination City MERIDEN
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --