Oxford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxford, Massachusetts 01540
Friday, April 9, 1993 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TAKING OFF WITH A TAILWIND. AFTER IT BECAME AIRBORNE, THE POWER WAS HEARD TO BE REDUCED, AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ON THE RUNWAY AND RETURNED TO THE AIR. POWER WAS HEARD TO COME ON FULL AGAIN, AND THE TAKEOFF CONTINUED, WITH THE AIRPLANE DRIFTING LEFT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE, AND CLIMBING SLOWLY. AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER TREES, A WITNESS SAW THE TAIL STRIKE THE TOP OF SOME TREES AND THEN THE AIRPLANE PITCHED NOSE DOWN INTO THE TREES. THE WITNESS ALSO STATED THAT THE SOUTHERN WINDSOCK, NEAR WHERE THE PILOT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF, WAS STEADY AT 3/4 FULL, AND OCCASIONALLY FULL. THE PILOT HAD EARLIER LANDED AT THE AIRPORT AROUND NOONTIME, AND THE LANDING WAS ALSO DOWNWIND WITH THE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 10 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR CLIMBOUT. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OXFORD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01540
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OXFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MA08
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 763
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1549 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 8
Weather Observation Facility ID ORH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 131
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50440
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9349W
NTSB Number NYC93FA076
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-11037
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES M. BANAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 399 MARY AVE
Aircraft Owner City STRATFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06497
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES M. BANAS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 399 MARY AVE
Operator City STRATFORD
Operator State CT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06497
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MA08
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BDR
Destination City BRIDGEPORT
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 2047
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --