Piper PA-32-300 accident near Monterey, MA
On March 3, 2003, a Piper PA-32-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Monterey, MA. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 3, 2003
- Place
- Monterey, MA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.211°N, 73.262°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030310X00305
Official records · NYC03FA061
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Survival Factors 6 - Attachment 6 - ATC Controller Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Survival Factors 6 - Attachment 7 - N90 Pre-crash Communications: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- FAA Air Traffic Control Summary: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- FAA Air Traffic Control Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 2, 2003, about 2008 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N4072R, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain in Monterey, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured, and three passengers sustained serious injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight destined for the Dillant-Hopkins Airport (EEN), Keene, New Hampshire. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was owned by the pilot, and based at EEN. On February 21, 2003, the pilot, his wife, and five children, ages 11, 10, 8, 5, and 2, departed EEN for a trip to Florida. On the day of the accident, the pilot departed Lakeland, Florida, and flew to the Siler City Municipal Airport (5W8), Siler City, North Carolina. According to personnel at 5W8, the airplane was "topped off" with 48.71 gallons of aviation gasoline. According to the pilot's brother-in-law, the pilot's wife called him from North Carolina, to inform him that they were "unsure" of the weather at Keene and would be flying to Utica or Hamilton, New York, to stay with him. The pilot's wife stated she would call back when they were about a half-hour from landing, so he could pick them up at the airport. According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about 1420 the pilot contacted the Raleigh Durham automated flight service station (AFSS), and received a weather briefing for a flight from 5W8 to EEN. The pilot and his family departed 5W8 about 1510, under
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules (VFR) flight in marginal VFR weather conditions over mountainous terrain, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. Factors in this accident were clouds and night light conditions.
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Browse: Massachusetts · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
