Piper 34-200T accident near Bluefield, West Virginia, January 20, 2001
On January 20, 2001, a Piper 34-200T, registered N99ED, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bluefield, West Virginia (Mercer County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to enter the correct altimeter setting, which resulted in continued flight below the decision height and a subsequent collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2001
- Place
- Bluefield, West Virginia · Mercer County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper 34-200T
- Registration
- N99ED · registry record · serial 34-7770052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted two ILS approaches to the airport, and then was contacted by a lineman informing him that the pilot-controlled runway lights were on the low setting, and he would increase their intensity. The pilot then flew a third approach, and while looking for the lights at the decision height, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest on the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane, and stated that he may have been concentrating on "looking for the lights," while on the approach and not monitoring his altitude. The weather reported at 1952, included a visibility of 1/4 mile with fog, few clouds at 100 feet, ceiling 800 feet overcast, temperature 39 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 37 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter setting 29.78 inches of mercury. The altimeter setting noted in the airplane after the accident was 29.97. A review of the FAA ILS RWY 23 approach chart for the airport indicated that the decision height for the approach was 300 feet, and the minimum landing visibility was 1 mile. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), Section 7-2-3 ALTIMETER ERRORS, "If you do not reset your altimeter when flying from an area of high pressure into an area of low pressure, your aircraft will be closer to the surface than your altimeter indicates. An inch error in the altimeter setting equals 1,000 feet of 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,226 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,133 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,056 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 2001; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-360E (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental LTSIO-360E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LWB Lewisburg WV at 11:30 pm
- Destination: BLF Bluefield WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 4,742 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; a few clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
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.