Piper PA-23-250 accident near New Market, Virginia, July 4, 1991
On July 4, 1991 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N63817, was destroyed in an accident near New Market, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISION THAT RESULTED IN VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1991 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Market, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N63817 · no longer on the register · serial 23-7754139
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ADVISED DURING THE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE PILOT INDICATED, DURING THE BRIEFING, THAT HE WAS GOING TO FIND AN INSTRUCTOR OR SOMEBODY WITH AN INSTRUMENT RATING TO FLY HIM TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER THE PILOT DEPARTED ALONE; HE REPORTED THAT HE PLANNED TO EITHER TURN AROUND OR GO TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT, IF THE WEATHER EN ROUTE DETERIORATED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE PROCEEDED EN ROUTE BY FOLLOWING A HIGHWAY. HE LOST SIGHT OF THE GROUND, DUE TO FOG, SO HE TURNED AROUND, BUT AS HE DID SO, THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN, AND AS HE RECOVERED, HE SAW TREES IN THE PATH OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED, 'I DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO PUT IT IN THE TREES.' THE PILOT SAID THE REASON THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN WAS FROM WINDS AROUND THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS, POSSIBLY CAUSING WIND SHEAR, AND WHICH HIS ALREADY SLOWER THAN NORMAL AIRSPEED, IT CAUSED HIM TO LOSE ALTITUDE.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 1991; 117 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHD Harrisonburg VA at 11:45 am
- Destination: HGR Hagerstown MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from CHO, 1 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.