Piper PA23-250 accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania, October 29, 1998
On October 29, 1998 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Piper PA23-250, registered N9190W, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania (Brandywine Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain the proper airspeed during the landing, and failure to perform a go-around. A factor in the accident was the crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1998 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- West Chester, Pennsylvania · Brandywine Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23-250 · all PA23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N9190W · no longer on the register · serial 27-3725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on approach to a 3,007 foot long, asphalt runway. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 9 and noticed the wind sock indicated a strong wind from 360 degrees. According to the pilot, the airplane touched down near the end of the first third of the runway. He noticed the airplane's ground speed was high and when he looked at the windsock, it indicated that the wind was from 270 degrees. The airplane continued down the runway, and pilot was unable to stop airplane before it went off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and across a road. The airport manager stated the airplane looked 'fast' when it was at the halfway point of the runway. Winds reported at an airport about 17 miles southeast of the accident site were from 350 degrees at 21 knots with 26 knot gusts. According to the airport manager, at the time of the accident the windsock indicated the wind was from the north.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,562 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,466 as pilot in command; 960 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,648 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1998; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTN Baltimore MD at 2:55 pm
- Destination: N99
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 3,007 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 21 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from PHL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.