Piper PA-28-140 accident near Concord, North Carolina, November 26, 1988
On November 26, 1988 at about 6:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N98369, was destroyed in an accident near Concord, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- November 26, 1988 · about 6:17 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N98369 · registry record · serial 28-26193
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PIC & WIFE FLEW TO LOCAL RESIDENTIAL AREA TO PHOTOGRAPH A HOUSE. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. RADAR DATA DISPLAYED THE ACFT IN A LEVEL LEFT TURN AT 2300 FEET (1700 AGL) FOR ABOUT 50 SECONDS WHEN CONTACT WAS ABRUPTLY LOST. WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED THE AIRPLANE IN A LEFT CIRCLE WHEN THE BANK STEEPENED, THE NOSE DROPPED, AND IT DESCENDED STEEPLY UNTIL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING AT IMPACT & WITNESSES RPTED STRONG ENGINE SOUNDS DURING THE DESCENT. PIC RPTED ON HIS LAST MEDICAL REQUEST THAT HE USED RITALIN OCCASIONALLY FOR DROWSINESS. TOX EXAM SHOWED PRESENCE OF THERAPEUTIC LEVEL OF DRUG IN THE PIC.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 264 hours in all; 248 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,756 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1988; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cherokee Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: 8A6 Charlotte NC at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from CLT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.