Piper PA-28 accident near Bennington, Vermont, January 23, 1994
On January 23, 1994 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N8211V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bennington, Vermont (Wiilliam H. Morse State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1994 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bennington, Vermont · Wiilliam H. Morse State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N8211V · registry record · serial 28-8011111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was aware of reported 'poor braking' condition at his destination due to his knowledge of a previously issued NOTAM. He said that he set up his approach to land in the first one-fifth of the runway. Upon landing, the airplane started sliding on the icy runway. The airplane departed the side of the runway and collided with a snow bank. The pilot did not attempt a go- around because of the airplane's low airspeed and because he did not think the airplane would clear snow banks in the vicinity of the runway.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,505 hours in all; 1,489 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,489 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,638 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1993; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J345D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 3,704 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:50 pm
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.