Northhampton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
Sunday, January 14, 1990 14:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED NORTHAMPTON FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT AND AFTER A PRACTICE OF SLOW FLIGHT AND ONE POWER-OFF STALL, THE FLIGHT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 040 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS WITH PEAK GUSTS TO 15 KNOTS. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE APPROACH AND TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 32, BUT DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF LARGE BRUSH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/14/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NORTHAMPTON
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01060
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTHHAMPTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7B2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 123
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1229
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44565
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8201W
NTSB Number NYC90LA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-2330
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD C. ALLEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18 LOS ANGELES ST.
Aircraft Owner City SO. HADLEY
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01075
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --