Piper PA-31 incident near Morgantown, West Virginia, June 7, 1988
On June 7, 1988 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N811CM, was involved in an incident near Morgantown, West Virginia (Morgantown Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DIED FROM CORONARY DISEASE WHILE PRACTICING LANDINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1988 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · Morgantown Muni · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N811CM · registry record · serial 31T-800-4046
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 64 YR OLD PILOT WAS PRACTICING FULL STOP LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 18 WITH A SAFETY PILOT ABOARD. THE SAFETY PILOT REPORTEDTHAT ON THE 3RD LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ROLL-OUT AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 40 KTS WHEN THE PILOT SLUMPED OVER. THE PILOT WAS RESTRAINED BY THE SHOULDER HARNESS. THE SAFETY PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STOPPED IT. THE SAFETY PILOT RADIOED FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RAMP. THE PILOT DIED LATER AT A HOSPITAL. A PATHOLOGICAL EXAM REVEALED THE PILOT HAD DIED FROM 'VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION, SECONDARY TO SEVERE ATHEROSCLEROTIC CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,280 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,700 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,199 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from MGW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.