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BFO89FA074

1989-08-27 · HAGERSTOWN, Maryland, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS A RESULT OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AFTER INTENTIONALLY FLYING INTO INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE OBSCURED WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH EXISTED.

Factual narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT AND NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT PASSENGER WERE FLYING TO ANDREWS AFB TO ATTEND AN AIRSHOW WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. A FSS WEATHER BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED DURING WHICH THE PLT WAS INFORMED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. OBSCURED CEILING AND FOG EXISTED AT THE DEPARTURE ARPT AND OVER THE MOUNTAIN RIDGES ENROUTE. THE PLT FILED VFR AND REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR TO GET OUT OF THE CONTROL ZONE AT THE DEPARTURE APRT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, APRX 3 MILES FROM THE ARPT, THE ACFT DESCENDED NEAR VERTICAL AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT SOUNDED 'LOUD' AS IT CROSSED OVER HEAD PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WITH EITHER THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE PLT HAD RECENTLY FAILED HIS IFR FLT TEST DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH ALTITUDE AND ATTITUDE CONTROL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_BFO89FA074.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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