Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1994
On August 8, 1994 at about 7:29 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N9673C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania (Grand Canyon State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO ALCOHOL, WHICH LED TO HIS MISJUDGMENT OF ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: DARKNESS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1994 · about 7:29 am local time
- Place
- Wellsboro, Pennsylvania · Grand Canyon State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N9673C · no longer on the register · serial 28R7837215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A LOCAL FLIGHT AT ABOUT 0300 EDT. THE MANAGER OF A FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO) AT THE AIRPORT HEARD THE AIRPLANE RETURN AND THOUGHT IT ENTERED A DOWNWIND TO LAND. AT ABOUT 0329, HE HEARD THE ENGINE POWER INCREASE, THEN HEARD A 'THUD.' DUE TO INJURIES, THE PILOT DID NOT REMEMBER THE OCCURRENCE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD TURNED ONTO FINAL APPROACH, WHEN IT CONTACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 28. DURING IMPACT, THE LEFT WING STRUCK TERRAIN THAT SLOPED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT & WAS ABOUT 25' HIGHER THAN THE AIRPORT ELEVATION. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD (TAKEN OVER 2 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT) HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 70.0 MG/DL (0.070%). TESTS OF THE PASSENGER'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 53.6 MG/DL (0.0536%).
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: 652 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 652 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1994; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N38 at 7:00 am
- Destination: N38
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,100 ft by 72 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 am from ELM, 40 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.