Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Dover, Delaware, October 29, 1988
On October 29, 1988 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N2074T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dover, Delaware. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 29, 1988 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dover, Delaware · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2074T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7135018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT BEGAN A CRUISE CLIMB TO 5500 FT. HE RPRTD THAT WHEN THE ACFT REACHED 5200 FT, HE NOTICED OIL SPRAYING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE ENG COWLING. THE OIL EVENTUALLY COVERED THE WINDSCREEN. THE PLT DIVERTED TOWARD A NEARBY ARPT, BUT THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, SO HE OPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD. THE ENGINE QUIT DURING THE LNDG APCH. DRG THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE, DAMAGING THE WINGS & LEFT MAIN GEAR. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE PROP GOVERNOR OIL LINE HAD FRACTURED AT A BEND, NEXT TO WHERE IT CONNECTED TO THE GOVERNOR. TWO CLAMPS FOR SECURING THE OIL LINE WERE MISSING. THE OWNER RPRTD THAT THE GOVERNOR OIL LINE HAD BEEN REPLACED 41 OPERATING HRS BEFORE THE ACDNT. HE SAID THAT DRG THE EMERG LANDING, HE DID NOT SEE THE FENCE DUE TO OIL ON THE WINDSCREEN.
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: 1,093 hours in all; 900 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1988; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W29 Stevensville MD at 7:00 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2074T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.