Piper PA-28-180 accident near Columbia, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1990
On October 28, 1990 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9292J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, Pennsylvania (Mcginness airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH AND COMPENSATE FOR THE HEADWIND. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOGNIZE HIS LOW ALTITUDE AND EXECUTE A GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1990 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, Pennsylvania · Mcginness · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9292J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWERLINES AND A TREE, AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 29. THE PILOT REPORTED AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENDING RIGHT TURN DUE TO A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION. EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SCENE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE IMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE WINDS WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 16 TO 22 KNOTS. THE POWERLINES WERE ON WOODEN POLES 50 TO 60 FT AGL, AND APPROXIMATELY 400 TO 500 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH THE POWERLINES LEAVING THE TOP AND BOTTOM WIRES INTACT AND THE MIDDLE TWO WIRES BROKEN. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING. SHEARING THE WING OFF PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WIRE MARKS ON THE WING, HOWEVER, THERE WERE WIRE MARKS ON THE PROPELLER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 692 hours in all; 437 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 652 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 9:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.