Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cheswold, Delaware 19936
Friday, November 23, 1990 18:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH TWO PASSENGERS AT NIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND APPROX 27 HOURS LATER. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED RUNWAY 27 AND THEN CONTACTED TREES LOCATED 600 FT OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY ON A HEADING OF 215 DEGREES. THE DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED ALONG A HEADING OF 285 DEGREES FOR 145 FEET. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREEXISTING FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT, BY A NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIS DECISION TO FLY AFTER HE RECEIVED WEATHER BRIEFINGS WHICH INLCUDED 'VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED'.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1810
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHESWOLD
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19936
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1815 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 143
Weather Observation Facility ID DOV
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.6
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44800
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7400J
NTSB Number NYC91LA036
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-24763
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FARMER, MATHEW
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 3, BOX 671
Operator City HOLLYWOOD
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20636
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 N33
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2WB
Destination City MT MARYS
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --