Piper PA-34-200T accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky, July 6, 1992
On July 6, 1992 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N188AL, was destroyed in an accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky (Warren County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION/VERTIGO.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1992 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Kentucky · Warren County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N188AL · registry record · serial 34-7970121
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT .8 MILES EAST FROM THE DEPARTED RUNWAY 21. THE PILOT REPORTED A CLOUD BASE OF 800 FEET AGL TO THE FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION 1 MINUTE AFTER TAKEOFF. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE 'SCREAMING' AND THE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS TOWARDS THE GROUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY SAW THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE RISE JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TREES. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRPLANE ANOMALIES. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AUTO PILOT CONTROLS WERE DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES. THREE GYROS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE AND EXAMINED. TWO OF THE THREE GYRO CASINGS EXHIBITED ROTATIONAL SCORING. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED ABOUT 354 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. HE EARNED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING ON MAY 31, 1992. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 51 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alexandria Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BWG at 6:14 pm
- Destination: CID Cedar Rapids IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 pm from BWG, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.