Piper PA-23-250 accident near Liberty, North Carolina, February 7, 1991
On February 7, 1991 at about 11:40 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6247Y, was destroyed in an accident near Liberty, North Carolina (Causey airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE RATE-OF-CLIMB AFTER LIFT-OFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, LOW CEILING, FOG, AND THE PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN A PIPER PA-23.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1991 · about 11:40 am local time
- Place
- Liberty, North Carolina · Causey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6247Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-3484
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IMMEDIATELY AFTER A NIGHT TAKEOFF IN FOGGY CONDITIONS, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES 1560 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINES SOUNDED NORMAL & 'IN SYNC.' THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED. THE VISIBILITY WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 1/2 MI WITH PATCHY GROUND FOG. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK SHOWED 3 FLIGHTS IN A PIPER PA-23 DURING 1990 FOR A TOTAL TIME OF 5.5 HRS, THE LAST OF WHICH WAS IN JUNE OF 1990. HOWEVER, THE PILOT RECEIVED A 1-HR FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE 3 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,482 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 2,395 as pilot in command; 1,084 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,712 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1990; 165 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Shamrock Gravure Products, INC
The flight
- Destination: GSO Greensboro NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 3,005 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from GS0, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.