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| Date: | Sunday 13 August 1989 |
| Time: | 04:00 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-161 |
| Owner/operator: | Janelle Aviation |
| Registration: | N4325V |
| MSN: | 28-8416017 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1983 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1797 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-D3G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Leesburg, VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Winchester, VA |
| Leesburg, VA (W09) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PLT WAS ON A ROUND ROBIN FLT FROM LEESBURG, VA, WITH EN ROUTE STOPS AT FREDERICK, MD & WINCHESTER, VA. AFTER AN APRX 4 HR STOPOVER AT WINCHESTER, HE DID NOT UPDATE HIS WX BRIEFING BEFORE DEPG ON THE RTRN TRIP TO LEESBURG. WHILE ON THE RTRN FLT, HE HAD TO DSCND DUE TO A LOWER CEILING. HE STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO WINCHESTER; HOWEVER, THE WX IN THAT DRCTN HAD ALSO DETERIORATED. BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THE WX & HIS LOW FUEL STATE, HE ELECTED TO REVERSE COURSE AGAIN & CONT TO HIS ORIGINAL DESTN (LEESBURG). THE WX CONTD TO DETERIORATE, SO HE THEN ELECTED TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY (ROUTE 15). DRG THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED ROAD REFLECTORS & A POLE, DAMAGING THE ACFT.
Probable Cause: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT, WHILE LANDING AT NIGHT ON A ROAD. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, DARK NIGHT, AND POLE/REFLECTORS BESIDE THE ROAD WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB BFO89LA068
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 16 January 1986 | N4325V | Janelle Aviation | 0 | Leesburg, VA | |
sub |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Mar-2024 08:21 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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