Yeager Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charleston, West Virginia 25311
Tuesady, May 21, 1985 21:58 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE RWY THRESHOLD DURING AN IFR APPRCH ON A DARK NIGHT IN IMC WX. THE PLT HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON THE WX AND WAS GIVEN THE CEILING AT HIS DESTINATION AS BELOW VFR MINIMUMS . THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT CHOSE TO TRY AN APPROACH ANYWAY INSTEAD OF GOING TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2158
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLESTON
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25311
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YEAGER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRW
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 50
Airport Elevation 982
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID CRW
Elevation of weather observation facility 982
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1980
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29377
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8460M
NTSB Number ATL85FA171
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8290054
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 5 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATLANTIC NATIONAL CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 10964
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29411
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
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1G3
Departure City KENT
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRW
Destination City CHARLESTON
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 6302
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --