Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Littleton, Massachusetts 01460
Saturday, October 23, 1993 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AT 2500 FEET. THE STUDENT BEGAN TO SPIRAL DOWN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SELECTED AREA. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A STEEP DESCENT WHEN THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTICED A HILL BETWEEN THE AIRPLANE AND THE SELECTED AREA. THE INSTRUCTOR ADDED FULL POWER AND LEVELED THE WINGS IN AN ATTEMPT TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR STALL SPEED WHEN IT STRUCK TREES, NOSED OVER AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY ON THE ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE HILL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT DECISION IN THE SELECTION OF THE SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AREA, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO AROUND WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/23/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LITTLETON
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01460
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID BED
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1859
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1125
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67197
NTSB Number NYC94LA017
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 77
Aircraft Series Identifier 77
Aircraft Serial Number WA-92
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 13 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 3547
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HANSCOM AFB AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address BLDG 1572, HANSCOM AFB
Aircraft Owner City BEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01730
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BED
Departure City BEDFORD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --