Piper PA-60-602P accident near Georgetown, Delaware, September 5, 1992
On September 5, 1992 at about 4:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, registered N3647T, was destroyed in an accident near Georgetown, Delaware (Sussex 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHILE CIRCLING TO LAND, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE MANEUVERING OF THE AIRPLANE AND HIS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY FROM THE STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1992 · about 4:37 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Delaware · Sussex County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P · all PA-60-602Ps on the register
- Registration
- N3647T · no longer on the register · serial 165005
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A VOR RUNWAY 22 APPROACH, THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT SIGHTED THE RUNWAY AND CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN. AS HE WAS CIRCLING TO LAND, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE A STEEP LEFT BANKING TURN ABOUT 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, UPON ROLL OUT OF THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS ROCKED BACK AND FORTH, THE NOSE AND RIGHT WING DROPPED BELOW THE HORIZON, AND THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WITNESSES STATED THAT THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 400 TO 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. WEATHER FACILITIES IN THE AREA WERE FORECASTING ABOUT 1,000 FOOT CEILINGS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
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: 878 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 769 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,890 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1992; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AA1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 2:37 pm
- Destination: GED
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from DOV, 30 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.