La Fleur Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sunderland, Massachusetts 01375
Friday, January 31, 1986 12:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT DESCEND VERTICALLY IN A FLAT SPIN UNTIL IMPACT IN OPEN, FLAT TERRAIN. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED APRX 45 MIN AFTER THE PLT HAD TAKEN OFF ON A LOCAL PROFICIENCY FLT. AFTER IMPACT, MOST OF THE AIRFRAME WAS DEMOLISHED BY FIRE. THE LEFT PROP WAS FND IN A FEATHERED POSITION, INDICATING THE ENG HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN BEFORE IMPACT. HOWEVER, NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENG WAS FND DRG THE INVESTIGATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/1986
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SUNDERLAND
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01375
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LA FLEUR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LFR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID BDR
Elevation of weather observation facility 174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1631
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32058
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6641A
NTSB Number NYC86FA068
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model E55
Aircraft Series Identifier E55
Aircraft Serial Number TE-1173
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300
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 Jul 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 298
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERKSHIRE ELECTRIC CABLE CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RIVER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LEEDS
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GARSON R. FIELDS
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code 7B2
Departure City NORTHAMPTON
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --