Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Northfield, New Hampshire 03276
Friday, September 1, 1989 22:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

EARLIER IN THE DAY, AT 1317 AND AT 1553, THE PLT RECEIVED WX BRIEFINGS FOR A VFR FLT FROM NEWBURYPORT TO LACONIA, TO RETURN LATER IN THE EVENING. THE 1553 BRIEFING INCLUDED AN ADVISORY THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. ACFT DEPARTED LACONIA AT 2155 FOR RETURN FLT. CONTACTED APCH CONTROL AT 2158. AT 2206 CONTROLLER TRIED TO CONTACT FLT BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WRECKAGE FOUND NEXT MORNING. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD DEPARTED BEHIND N65595, ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND EXTREME TURBULENCE CAUSING IT TO CRASH IN A HAY FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT INITIATED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE AND THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2205
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NORTHFIELD
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03276
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
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 2152 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID CON
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2397
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43466
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65595
NTSB Number NYC89FA206
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17275782
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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRY P. AVAKIAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11 TILTON STREET
Operator City NEWBURYPORT
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01950
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 No
Departure Airport Code LCI
Departure City LACONIA
Departure State NH
Departure Country
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2B2
Destination City NEWBURYPORT
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --