N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hooksett, New Hampshire 03106
Thursday, October 25, 2012 13:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was on the second leg of a visual flight rules cross-country flight and was receiving flight following services from air traffic control (ATC). About 10 minutes after establishing radio and radar contact with ATC, the airplane's discrete transponder code was lost, and an air traffic controller made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the airplane. Postaccident review of radar data showed a primary target, correlated to be the accident airplane, as it tracked north toward the pilot's destination. About 7 minutes later, the target initiated a left turn south, paralleling its northerly course. The last several radar returns showed the target tracking southbound directly over an interstate highway. The last radar return was located about 2,500 feet north of where the airplane was found resting upright against an interstate guardrail. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the pilot's medical history revealed multiple medical conditions and a coronary artery bypass graft procedure for three-vessel coronary artery disease and insertion of a pacemaker for symptomatic bradycardia. The pilot provided the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extensive documentation regarding his conditions and the medications used to treat the conditions and was granted special-issuance medical certificates. His most recent medical certificate was issued 3 months before the accident. The pilot's autopsy report indicated that he died from an acute heart attack at some point during the accident flight. The pilot-rated passenger held a pilot certificate, and, according to the pilot's logbook, had acted as a safety pilot on flights in the accident airplane during the previous year. However, she did not hold a current medical certificate, and no other evidence of recent flight experience could be found to suggest that she was capable of flying the accident airplane unassisted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's total incapacitation in flight due to an acute heart attack.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1306
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Hooksett
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03106
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 430229N
Event Location Longitude 0712808W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID MHT
Elevation of weather observation facility 266
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
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) 32802
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England Region
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2014 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4325W
NTSB Number ERA13FA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E-528
Certified Max Gross Weight 3612
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 17 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4130
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HERMAN HASSINGER ARCHITECTS
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BLOCK ISLAND
Aircraft Owner State RI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02807-0523
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HERMAN HASSINGER ARCHITECTS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City BLOCK ISLAND
Operator State RI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 02807-0523
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ASH
Departure City Nashua
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1235
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LCI
Destination City Laconia
Destination State NH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2014 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --