Piper PA-28-181 accident near Rome, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1990
On May 29, 1990 at about 5:45 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8376N, was destroyed in an accident near Rome, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF AN INSTRUMENT RATING, AND HIS DECISION TO MAKE THE FLIGHT AFTER RECEIVING THREE SEPARATE BRIEFINGS WHERE HE WAS TOLD 'VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED.'
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1990 · about 5:45 am local time
- Place
- Rome, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8376N · no longer on the register · serial 28-8190217
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PVT PILOT WAS FLYING FROM HAMILTON, CANADA, TO BERLIN, NJ AT NIGHT. HE STOPPED AT BUFFALO, NY AND RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WITH VNR (VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED) DUE TO RAIN, LOW CLOUDS, AND FOG. HE DEPARTED VFR AND CONTACTED WILLIAMSPORT AFSS, RECEIVED AN EN ROUTE BRIEFING AND THEN MADE AN UNPLANNED STOP AT ELMIRA, NY. WHILE ON THE GROUND HE RECEIVED TWO ADDITIONAL BRIEFINGS, BOTH WITH VNR. HE AGAIN DEPARTED VFR AND CONTACTED THE NY ARTCC FOR VFR ADVISORIES. HE SAID HE WAS AT 3200 FT, HOWEVER NY CENTER SAID 4200 FEET WAS THE MINIMUM RADAR VECOTRING ALTITUDE. HE FINALLY CLIMBED TO 4000 FT AND DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MINUTES. THE LAST FEW RADAR CONTACTS SHOWED A LEFT TURN APPROX TWICE STANDARD RATE. THE GROUND IMPACT SHOWED THE AIRPLANE IN A LEFT TURN AT IMPACT. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND REPORTED RAIN AND FOG. NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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
- Flight time: 308 hours in all; 44 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 235 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,482 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 18, 1990; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ELM Elmira NY at 5:20 am
- Destination: 19N Camden NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,300 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from BGM, 18 miles away
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.