Piper PA-28-140 accident near Ona, West Virginia, April 22, 1990
On April 22, 1990 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5886U, was destroyed in an accident near Ona, West Virginia (Ona airport). 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 IMPROPERLY SET STABILATOR TRIM AND THE IMPROPERLY LOADED AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1990 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ona, West Virginia · Ona · 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
- N5886U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26743
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT LIFTOFF THE RUNWAY AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPEED AND FAIL TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT JUST CLEARED A RIDGELINE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE STABILATOR TRIM SET IN A NOSE HIGH SETTING. COMPUTATION OF THE WT AND BALANCE INDICATED AN OVERWEIGHT AIRCRAFT WITH AN AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY CONDITION.
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: 840 hours in all; 757 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 763 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: MTN Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 3,160 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from HTS
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.