Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Bedford, Massachusetts 02748
Tuesady, April 9, 1991 12:08 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO ACFT DEPD NEW BEDFORD ON FLTS TO MARTHA'S VINYARD, MA. THE PLT OF ONE ACFT DIVERTED TO ANOTHER ARPT DUE TO DETERIORATING WX AT THE DESTN. THE 2ND ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE & WAS FOUND LATER WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN NEW BEDFORD HARBOR. A WITNESS IN A FISHING BOAT SAID HE HAD SEEN AN ACFT FLYING AT LOW ALT (APRX 100 FT) TOWARD THE HARBOR. SCATTERED FOG WAS RPRTD IN THE BAY AREA. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE, FATALLY INJURING THE OCCUPANTS; HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL IMPACT WAS NOT OBSERVED. NO BREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AFTER ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER AT LOW ALTITUDE. THE ADVERSE WEATHER (FOG) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1208
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEW BEDFORD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02748
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID EWB
Elevation of weather observation facility 80
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1704
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45581
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6005R
NTSB Number NYC91FA115
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 17253674
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Oct 3 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 2686
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS BORGES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 374 BROOK STREET
Aircraft Owner City NEW BEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02745
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENNIS BORGES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 374 BROOK STREET
Operator City NEW BEDFORD
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02745
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EWB
Departure City NEW BEDFORD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1303
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MVY
Destination City MARTHA VINEYARD
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --