Piper PA-24-250 accident near Port Royal, Virginia, November 19, 1988
On November 19, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8215P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Royal, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- November 19, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port Royal, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8215P · registry record · serial 24-3468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING WHICH FORECAST IFR AFTER 1800 EST. HE DEPARTED DCA IN LIGHT DRIZZLE CONDITIONS. ARPX 35 NM FROM DCA, RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ATC TO NO AVAIL. HE REPORTED THAT NEAR THE BROOK VOR THE VOR NEEDLE WAS MOVING SLUGGISHLY AND THE AMMETER SHOWED A STRONG DISCHARGE. THE PLT STATED HE NOTED THE DG NOT WORKING. DUE TO THE DECREASE IN CEILING HE MADE A DESCENT TO 1000 FT MSL TO REMAIN VFR. AFTER 2 OR 3 MINUTES THE PLT MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO REMAIN VFR AND NOTED THE CEILING HAD DECREASED AROUND HIM AND HE WAS IN AN OPEN AREA APRX 1 TO 2 MILES WIDE. DURING THE TURN, PLT NOTED ARTIFICIAL HORIZON TUMBLED. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROAD DURING WHICH THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A STOP SIGN RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF ACFT FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL OR VACUUM SYSTEM OTHER THAN THE BATTERY WAS NEARLY DRAINED.
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
- Flight time: 202 hours in all; 44 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1988; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Washington DC at 8:30 pm
- Destination: PVG Portsmouth VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N8215P 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.