Beech 95-B55 (T42A) accident near Leyden, MA
On January 14, 2024, a Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (airplane) was involved in an accident near Leyden, MA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- January 14, 2024
- Place
- Leyden, MA
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 (T42A) · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.657°N, 72.600°W
- NTSB ID
- 20240114193645
Official records · ERA24FA088
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 14, 2024, at 1125 eastern standard time, a Beechcraft 95-B-55 twin-engine airplane, N7345R, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Leyden, Massachusetts. The flight instructor, pilot receiving instruction, and a passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. A review of ADS-B data revealed that the airplane departed runway 20 at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF), Westfield/Springfield, Massachusetts, about 1106. After departure, the airplane made a 180° left turn toward the north-northeast. The airplane then climbed to about 3,000 to 3,300 ft mean sea level (msl) and made four alternating left and right 360° turns while continuing to fly northbound. After the fourth 360° turn, the airplane began to climb to the north, reaching an altitude of about 4,000 ft msl. The airplane then entered a rapid descent until data ended at 1125:35. The location of the last recorded ADS-B data point was coincident with the accident site (see figure 1). Figure 1. Plotted ADS-B data of entire flight (yellow line), including the departure airport (blue) and area of wreckage (orange). The flight was not receiving any air traffic control services, and there were no recorded radio communications to or from the flight. Several witnesses heard and/or observed the airplane. One eyewitness was walking his dog when he first heard the airplane’s engines and looked up. He said the airplane was “trying to gain altitude” and “then stopped” before the nose of the airplane dro
Probable cause
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during a stall, which resulted in an inadvertent spin from which the airplane was not recovered. Contributing to the accident were the overall effect of the flight instructor’s use of multiple central nervous system depressants, the associated underlying conditions they treated, or both.
More accidents in MA
- Gulfstream Aerospace G IV, Jun 1, 2014
- Beechcraft B200, Apr 4, 2003
- Cessna 425, Oct 25, 2006
- Piper PA-32-300, Mar 3, 2003
- Cirrus SR-22, Apr 9, 2009
Browse: Massachusetts · Beech 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.
