Piper PA-28-236 accident near Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, July 31, 1991
On July 31, 1991 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N28568, was destroyed in an accident near Fogelsville, 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
THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY, HIS LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND HIS LACK OF AN INSTRUMENT RATING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1991 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Fogelsville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N28568 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7911167
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT PLANNED A VFR FLIGHT, BUT THE WEATHER AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT REMAINED IFR LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. THE WEATHER WAS STILL MARGINAL VFR, WHEN THE PILOT TOOK OFF. THERE WERE REPORTS OF TURBULENCE, THUNDERSTORMS AND POOR VISIBILITY IN THE AREA. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 6700 FEET, THE RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT, WITH VERTICAL VELOCITY EXCEEDING 10,000 FEET PER MINUTE. THE AIRPLANE WINGS SEPARATED IN FLIGHT AND A WITNESS SAW IT SPIRAL INTO THE GROUND, FOLLOWED BY THE WINGS 3 TO 4 MINUTES LATER. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 218 HOURS.
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: 218.8 hours in all; 65 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N9 Allentown PA at 3:58 pm
- Destination: HLG Wheeling WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; not recorded at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:50 pm from ABE, 13 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.