Worcester Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Worcester, Massachusetts 01601
Wednesday, July 24, 1985 19:31 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS. ON THE 4TH LANDING, THE APCH & TOUCHDOWN WERE MADE WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED. THE CFI BEGAN TO RETRACT THE FLAPS WHILE THE STUDENT APPLIED FULL POWER FOR TAKEOFF. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE & BEGAN TO YAW TO THE LEFT. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT WHEN THE STUDENT COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE CFI THEN REDUCED POWER ON BOTH ENGS IN AN EFFORT TO LAND. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND & BEGAN BURNING. THE CFI THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION. HOWEVER, A VISUAL EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT BOTH FLAPS WERE IN THE NEARLY FULL DOWN POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1931
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WORCESTER
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01601
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WORCESTER MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORH
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 1008
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1831 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1008
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1113
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28451
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N999RH
NTSB Number NYC85LA193
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-421
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 24 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 3460
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES HERTZELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8365 N. SUNDOWN TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City PARKER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 531
Operator City WEST BOROUGH
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01581
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
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 Takeoff
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 29
Runway Length 6999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --