# NTSB NYC89FA105: Aerospatiale TB-10, N20NQ, Pittsfield, MA, March 26, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 25, 1989, 22:15 local (Mar 26, 1989, 03:15 UTC)
- Place: Pittsfield, MA
- Location: 42.4501° N, 73.2454° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pittsfield, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4501&lon=-73.2454&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report January 3, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36278
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC89FA105
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36278/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89FA105

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  INADEQUATE BRIEFING PROVIDED BY THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) SPECIALIST, DARK NIGHT, LOW CLOUDS, AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent
  - preflight briefing service - inadequate, atc personnel(fss) (contributing factor)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - air/ground communications - poor
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - search - delayed
  - condition(s)/step(s) insufficiently defined, faa(other/organization)

## Analysis

DRG VFR FLT AT NGT, PLT TRIED CTCG ALBANY APCH CTL (ALB), 40 MI FM DESTN. CTLR ANSWERED CALL & RPRTD HE WAS NOT RCVG TRANSPONDER (XPDR), BUT PLT DID NOT HEAR HIM AS HIS ACFT WAS TOO FAR AWAY. PLT WAS ADZD, VIA AN AIRLINER, TO CALL AGAIN AFTER PROCEEDING FURTHER INBND. ABT 13 MIN LATER, PLT ESTABLISHED CTC WITH ALB, APRX 27 MI SE IN VCNTY OF PITTSFIELD AT 2500' MSL. HE ASKED, 'MY ALT OF 2500, IS THAT OK?'  CTLR THOUGHT PLT WAS REFERRING TO QUALITY OF XPDR READ-OUT OF 2500' & REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.'  CTLR THEN ASKED IF PLT WAS VFR; PLT SAID HE WAS. SOON THEREAFTER, CTC WITH ACFT WAS LOST. IT DSCNDED INTO RISING TRRN AT ELEV OF ABT 1800'. NO PREIMPACT MECH PRBLM WAS FND. DRG PREFLT WX BRIEFING, FSS PSNL DID NOTADZ PLT OF FLT PRCTN OF OBSCD MTNS. MVA IN AREA WAS 4000' MSL. ANOTHER PLT OPERG FM PITTSFIELD RPRTD BASES OF OVC WERE RAGGED AT 2500' TO 3000' MSL & HIGHER TRRN WAS OBSCD BY CLOUDS. RCC NOT NOTIFIED; SEARCH DELAYED; CTLR'S SUPVR NOTIFIED ARTCC PER PROC FOR IFR ACFT. ARTCC DID NOT NOTIFY RCC, SINCE ACFT WAS VFR; HOWEVER, CRASH WAS NOT SURVIVABLE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N20NQ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20NQ-1989-08-15), registration cancelled 1989-08-15, S/N 695 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE TB-10
- Registry model: [Socata TB 10](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tb-10) (registry code 8680696) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 695
- Airframe hours: 105
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1AD 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Aircraft Equipment Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 23, 1989, 5 hours before
- Departed: CEF, WESTOVER AFB, MA
- Destination: ALB, ALBANY, NY
- Airport: ALB, Albany

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 24; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 92 total, 4 in this make and model, 20 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ALB, 27 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890325004459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890325004459A), Mar 25, 1989: Socata TB10TOBAGO, Pittsfield, MA, Destroyed, 4 fatal. Flew into cloud obscured mountain at night VFR. Flight precautions of mountain obscurement omitted in wx briefing.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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