Piper PA-28-160 accident near Winton, North Carolina, April 29, 1986
On April 29, 1986 at about 7:47 am local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5258W, was destroyed in an accident near Winton, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1986 · about 7:47 am local time
- Place
- Winton, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5258W · no longer on the register · serial 28-303
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE FLT, THE STUDENT PLT & PASSENGERS HAD BEEN SOCIALIZING & DRINKING BEER. AT APRX 0200 EDT, WHILE AT A FRIEND'SHOME NEAR MURFREESBORO, NC, THEY DECIDED TO GO FLYING. AT ABOUT 0300, AN ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO FLY OVER THE FRIEND'S HOME AT LOW ALT, THEN IT DEPARTED THE AREA & DID NOT RETURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED NEAR WINTON, NC & WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. THE NEEDLE OF THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS PRESSED AGAINST THE INSTRUMENT FACE AT 142 MPH. ALSO, THE ACFT'S CLOCK WAS DAMAGED & HAD STOPPED AT 0347. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE PLANE WAS IN A 22 DEG DIVE WITH ABOUT A 30 DEG RGT BANK WHEN IT CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND; HOWEVER, THE ARTIFICIAL HORIZON HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR REPAIR. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 90 MG% (0.090%), COCAINE LVL OF 0.09 MG% & BENZOYLECGONINE LVL OF 0.11 MG%. THE PLT HAD ONLY ABOUT 3 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING TIME.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 78 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1985; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASJ Ahoskie NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from ECG, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.