Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Selbyville, Delaware 19975
Saturday, July 21, 1984 13:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER DEPARTED ON THE FLIGHT WITHOUT A WX BRIEFING DESPITE THE EXISTENCE OF LOW CEILINGS AND RAIN. WITNESSES RELATED HEARING THE ENGINE ACCELERATE AND SEEING THE ACFT START A CLIMB BEFORE IT BROKE UP AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER FAILED NEGATIVELY AT A LOW ALTITUDE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. THE STUDENT PLT BEGAN FLYING IN 1974.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SELBYVILLE
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19975
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1257 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID SBY
Elevation of weather observation facility 51
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 2225
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26145
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 N9014W
NTSB Number BFO84FA001
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-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10597
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Sep 21 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 1111
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES E. MORRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD 1 BOX 258B
Aircraft Owner City STEUBENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43952
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3B 107 JUANITA ST.
Operator City STEUBENVILLE
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43952
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 No
Departure Airport Code N80
Departure City OCEAN CITY
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1G8
Destination City TORONTO
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --