Piper PA-28-161 accident near Morrisville, Vermont, May 21, 1992
On May 21, 1992 at about 1:50 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2950K, was destroyed in an accident near Morrisville, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND THE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1992 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Morrisville, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2950K · no longer on the register · serial 28-7916574
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT OVER THREE MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST TAKEOFF FROM THIS AIRPORT, HAVING FLOWN THERE EARLIER THAT DAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE USED 25 DEGREES OF FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF, AND THEN CLIMBED AT 60 KNOTS. HE SAID DURING THE DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRPORT,'THE SURROUNDINGS GOT DARKER AND DARKER.' AS HE CLIMBED THROUGH 1000 FEET MSL HE GRADUALLY RAISED THE FLAPS AND INCREASED SPEED TO 80 KNOTS. HE CLIMBED NORTH, DIRECT TO THE MONTPIELER VOR. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS 'AMAZED HOW DARK IT WAS, BARELY ABLE TO DISTINGUISH THE HORIZON.' HE THEN SAW TREES AHEAD IN THE PATH OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO AVOID BY PULLING BACK ON THE CONTROL WHEEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED JUST AS THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES. THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND AND A FIRE ERUPTED AFTER THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRPLANE.
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: 250 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,908 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 21, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: BVY Beverly MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from BTV, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.