Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Sherburne, Vermont, January 19, 1991
On January 19, 1991 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N777CL, was destroyed in an accident near Sherburne, Vermont (Rutland airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS WITH AN AIRPLANE NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND CONTACT WITH TREES IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOTS DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR MODERATE ICING, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE AIRPLANE'S LIMITATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1991 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Sherburne, Vermont · Rutland
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N777CL · registry record · serial 28R-7435242
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI RECEIVED A PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FORECAST MODERATE ICING CONDITIONS. HE TOOK OFF WITH A STUDENT, IN AN AIRPLANE EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED PITOT TUBE, BUT NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS. 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATIONS. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHEN HE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS. IN A POST CRASH INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED AUTOMATICALLY AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THEM, AND THIS CONDITION CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE STUDENT PILOT ON BOARD SAID THE CFI SUCCESSFULLY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND THE AIRPLANE STILL COULD NOT MAINTAIN 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,631 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 2,531 as pilot in command; 1,176 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CIC (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MPV Montpelier VT at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 7MY Mount Holly NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 40 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.