Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Gans, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1988
On November 19, 1988 at about 5:07 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N2153U, was destroyed in an accident near Gans, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S BAD JUDGEMENT IN FLYING IN WEATHER CONDITIONS BEYOND THE CAPABILITIES OF HIS AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OVERSTRESSED THE AIRCRAFT AND SHEARED THE LEFT WING BY MAKING AN ABRUPT TURN IN TURBULENT AIR ABOVE THE DESIGN MANEUVERING SPEED (VA). THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE, FLYING IN IMC CONDITIONS AND A PROBLEM WITH THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1988 · about 5:07 pm local time
- Place
- Gans, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2153U · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7931098
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG A WX BRIEFING BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF ICE PELLETS, CLEAR ICING & MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBC IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE OBTAINED AN IFR CLNC AT 1144 EST & WAS EVENTUALLY CLRD TO CLIMB TO 13,000'. THE PLT INQUIRED ABOUT THE CLOUD TOPS & WAS ADZD THEY WERE IN EXCESS OF FL 280. AT 1202 EST, WHILE CLIMBING THRU APRX 11,800', THE PLT REQUESTED CLNC TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT. HE WAS CLRD TO TURN TO 090 DEG, WHILE ATC WAS COORDINATING AN IFR CLNC BACK TO THE ARPT. AT 1203 EST, THE PLT WAS ASKED IF HE WAS HAVING ANY DIFFICULTY & HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS PICKING UP ICE & WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH HIS ATTITUDE INDICATOR. AT APRX 1204, THE PLT WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE, & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED, A WITNESS SAW IT TUMBLING WITH ONE WING MISSING. THE LEFT WING & PIECES OF THE EMPENNAGE WERE FOUND APRX 1/2 TO 1-1/4 MI FROM THE WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE OF POSITIVE OVERLOAD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,513 hours in all; 539 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,423 as pilot in command; 583 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,091 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1988; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5G8 Jeannette PA
- Destination: JAX Jacksonville PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MGW, 9 miles away
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.