- Date
- September 8, 1992, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Conway, MA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2509DPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920908035539A
- Case key
- 11733
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance above the trees. A possible factor related to the accident was the pilot's use of a prescription drug.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was seen circling the pilot's home at a low altitude. A next door neighbor stated she had seen the airplane flying around the pilot's home 'barely above tree top level, with the left wing lower than the right wing.' The pilot's fiancee stated that she heard the airplane fly over their home and then heard a 'thump.' The airplane wreckage was found about 1 mile from the pilot's home. No airframe or engine anomalies were noted. VMC existed at the time of the accident. The pilot was taking prescribed medication for a biologically based disorder namely 'panic disorder.' A toxicology test of the pilot's blood detected prescription medications, fluoxetine and temazepam. The test showed 0.044 ug/ml of temazepam, 0.083 ug/ml of fluoxetine, and 0.138 ug/ml norfluoxetine in his boood.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2509D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 79A0346
- Airframe hours
- 4,442
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- City Aviation Incorporated, doing business as New England Air Connection
- Registered owner
- Richard Mcgee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 2, 1992 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 7B2 · Northampton, MA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 252 total · 6 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BAF, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.