Fitchburg Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leominster, Massachusetts 01453
Tuesady, June 1, 2004 21:31 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was destroyed after impacting terrain during an approach in instrument meteorological conditions. At the destination airport, weather was reported as 3 statute miles of visibility and mist, and an overcast cloud layer at 700 feet. The overcast ceiling was variable from 400 to 1,100 feet agl. The flight progressed without incident, and once in the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot requested and was subsequently cleared for the GPS approach. No further transmissions were received from the pilot. The airplane struck trees, and came to rest in a wooded area, about 1-3/4 miles from the runway 32 threshold, and about 1/2-mile right of the extended centerline. A postcrash fire consumed the main wreckage. The elevation of the accident site was 563 feet msl. Review of the approach plate for the GPS approach revealed that the inbound course from the final approach fix, located about 5 miles prior to the airport, was 324 degrees. The minimums for the straight in approach to runway 32 were 1 statute mile of visibility, and a minimum decision altitude of 960 feet msl (624 feet agl). No procedure turn was required for the approach. Review of radar data revealed that after the airplane crossed the final approach fix, it turned right, away from the final approach course, and began tracking northbound for several seconds. The airplane then made a left turn and proceeded inbound towards the airport and tracked an approximate 300-degree course until the last radar return was received, where the airplane was about 1 mile southeast of the airport at 1,000 feet msl. The pilot had accumulated about 409 hours of total flight experience. Within the previous 6 months, he had accumulated 7 hours, of which 1.7 hours were conducted in simulated instrument conditions, and .7 hours were in actual instrument conditions. The pilot's most recent flight conducted in nighttime conditions was about 20 months prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to follow instrument flight procedures resulting in a collision with trees. A factor related to the accident was the low cloud ceiling, and dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/2004
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2131
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Leominster
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01453
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423246N
Event Location Longitude 0714318W
Event Location Airport Fitchburg Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FIT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 348
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2117 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID FIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 348
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.8
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19583
NTSB Notification Source New England Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Windsor Locks, CT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21072
NTSB Number NYC04FA136
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7840183
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3089
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James P. Normandin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fitchburg
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01420
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 MHT
Departure City Manchester
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2109
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FIT
Destination City Fitchburg
Destination State MA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker to threshold (IFR)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 1 2006 5:17PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --