Charleston/Yeager Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charleston, West Virginia 25311
Wednesday, August 31, 1988 8:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS EXECUTING THE ILS RWY 5 APCH WHEN HE ENTERED FOG ABOUT 350 FT ABOVE THE DH. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, UPON REACHING THE DH HE SIGHTED THE RWY AND CONTINUED THE APCH. AFTERWARD THE PLT SAID HE DEVIATED LEFT OF THE LOCALIZER CENTERLINE AND AS HE WAS TURNING BACK TO IT HE INADVERTENTLY DESCENDED BELOW THE GLIDE SLOPE AND STRUCK A TREE. THE TREE WAS ABOUT 300 FT LEFT OF THE RWY, ABOUT 50 FT BELOW IT, AND ABOUT 300 FT PAST THE RWY THRESHOLD. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO REMAIN AIRBORNE AND LANDED ABOUT 2000 FT DOWN THE RWY WHERE IT WENT OFF THE SIDE OF IT. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT ABOUT 12 INCHES OF THE LEFT WING INBOARD LEADING EDGE WAS PUSHED BACK TO THE SPAR AS A RESULT OF THE TREE STRIKE. THE ENTIRE LEFT WING WAS TWISTED DOWN ABOUT 30 DEGREES. DURING THE LANDING THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLESTON
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25311
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHARLESTON/YEAGER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 982
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 830 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CRW
Elevation of weather observation facility 982
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 6000
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1254
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37350
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15948
NTSB Number BFO88LA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 7335110
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 May 3 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 4632
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KCI ENTERPRISE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 849
Aircraft Owner City BRIDGEPORT
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 26330
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code LJQA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 CKB
Departure City BRIDGEPORT
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 5
Runway Length 6302
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --