Ona Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ona, West Virginia 25545
Sunday, April 22, 1990 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT LIFTOFF THE RUNWAY AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPEED AND FAIL TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT JUST CLEARED A RIDGELINE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE STABILATOR TRIM SET IN A NOSE HIGH SETTING. COMPUTATION OF THE WT AND BALANCE INDICATED AN OVERWEIGHT AIRCRAFT WITH AN AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY CONDITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPERLY SET STABILATOR TRIM AND THE IMPROPERLY LOADED AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ONA
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25545
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ONA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 12V
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 255
Airport Elevation 580
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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) 2211
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1623
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43959
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5886U
NTSB Number BFO90FA036
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-26743
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C & KAREN K THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6224 OLDE FARM LANE
Aircraft Owner City ERIE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM COLEMAN THOMPSON, III
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6424 OLDE FARM LANE
Operator City ERIE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 16505
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1214
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MTN
Destination City BALTIMORE
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 25
Runway Length 3160
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --