Piper PA-28-181 accident near Doylestown, Pennsylvania, November 22, 1994
On November 22, 1994 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2949Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Doylestown, Pennsylvania (Doylestown airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's descent below the published minimum circling altitude, and his failure to execute the published missed approach procedure during a night IFR instrument approach, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1994 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Doylestown, Pennsylvania · Doylestown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2949Q · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ON THE RETURN LEG OF A FLIGHT FOR COMPENSATION. THE EN ROUTE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. DURING THE NIGHT WEATHER VOR APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT DESCENDED 300 FEET BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE. AFTER FLYING OVER THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AIRPORT TWICE, BETWEEN 300 AND 500 FEET BELOW THE MINIMUM CIRCLING ALTITUDE. DURING THE THIRD CIRCLE, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. AN AIRPORT 8 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE REPORTED THE WEATHER AS INDEFINITE 100 FOOT SKY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1/4 MILE, WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. NEITHER OF THE TWO VOR RECEIVERS IN THE AIRPLANE WERE TUNED TO THE FREQUENCY USED FOR THE VOR FINAL APPROACH COURSE, OR THE MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE. DURING THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS THE PILOT HAD LOGGED ONE INSTRUMENT APPROACH.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,997 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 28, 1994; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELM Elmira NY at 11:31 pm
- Destination: N88 PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 3,004 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.