Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360
Thursday, May 6, 1999 15:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed under visual flight rules. There was no known weather briefing obtained by the pilot, flight plan filed, or communications with the airplane after departure, which disappeared from radar about 30 minutes after takeoff. Visual metrological conditions prevailed at the time of the takeoff; however, instrument meteorological conditions were present at an airport about 5 miles northeast of the airplane's last recorded radar position. Neither the pilot nor airplane were located. The pilot held an instrument rating and reported 2,900 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA medical certificate, which was issued about a year prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

undetermined (missing airplane)

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1518
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PLYMOUTH
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02360
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415432N
Event Location Longitude 0704343W
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 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID OWD
Elevation of weather observation facility 50
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15236
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8235Z
NTSB Number NYC99FAMS3
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28RT-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8031130
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERHARD B. FINKENBEINER
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City WALTHAM
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02154
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Airport Code OWD
Departure City NORWOOD
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1445
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 11 2004 2:26PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
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 --