- Date
- March 11, 1989, 21:45 local (Mar 12, 1989, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Southbridge, MA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N301WAPiper PA-32R-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890311003579A
- Case key
- 36277
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
Poor judgement of the pilot by flying while physically impaired by alcohol, and his continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Related factors were: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, dark night, adverse weather conditions, and trees at the accident site.
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 plt & pax took off at about 2100 EST on a VFR flt from newport, RI, to Southbridge, MA. About 33 min later, the plt contacted bradley apch ctl & requested assistance to the Southbridge muni arpt. The ctlr was unable to obtain radar contact with the acft & adzd the plt the vis was 3/4 mi in snowshowers, but that arpts to the south were rprtg VFR. The plt elected to cont to Southbridge. At about 2145 EST, radio contact was lost. Subsequently, the acft collided with trees in Southbridge & crashed. Witnesses rprtd the acft circled the area 3 times before it crashed. Also, they rprtd the eng was operating & that snow was falling. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the acft or eng was evident. Toxicology checks showed the plt had a blood/alcohol lvl of 0.190% & urine/alcohol lvl of 0.234%. Also, pseudoephedrine (a non-prescription decongestant) was detected in his blood at a lvl of 2.4 mg/l.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N301WA
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7780411
- Airframe hours
- 2,297
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-KIG5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George E. Keys
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 22, 1988
- Departed
- 2B4 · Newport, RI
- Destination
- 3B0 · Southbridge, 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
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 900 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORH, 14 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.
Other investigations on N301WA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.