Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dover, Delaware 11930
Sunday, March 29, 1987 15:17 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ROCKWELL WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 2800 FT AND THE PIPER WAS CLIMBING WHEN MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED. NEITHER ACFT WAS OPERATING UNDER ATC. NEITHER PLT SAW THE OTR AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE BOTTOM OF THE ROCKWELL CABIN AND THE LEFT TIPTANK OF THE PIPER COLLIDED. THE COLLISION ANGLE BETWEEN THE ACFT WAS 60 DEGREES. THE ROCKWELL PILOT WAS ABLE TO PROCEED TO HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE LEFT TIP TANK OF THE PIPER SEPARATED FROM THE WING. THE PIPER PILOT, AS A PRECAUTION, SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AND THEN DIVERTED THE FLIGHT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/29/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1517
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DOVER
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11930
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1530 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DOV
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1077
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34269
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N5216Y N1374J
NTSB Number BFO87LA028A BFO87LA028B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER ROCKWELL
Aircraft Model PA-23-250 112A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250 112A
Aircraft Serial Number 27-2264 374
Certified Max Gross Weight 4800 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 4
Number of Engines 2 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Annual
Date of Last Inspection -- Jan 31 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44 --
Airframe Hours 3346 1503
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN HOUYOUX ROBERT H. BROWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 625 KFA 1728 ALTLAND AVE.
Aircraft Owner City HARPERS FERRY YORK
Aircraft Owner State WV PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25425 17404
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Unknown Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code SBY GED
Departure City SALISBURY GEORGETOWN
Departure State MD DE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500 1515
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code MRB THV
Destination City MARTINSBURG YORK
Destination State WV PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --