Plane Crash List

Piper PA-18-135 N9975Q

27 December 1989 · No. Andover, Massachusetts, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 27 December 1989 at about 17:24 local time, a Piper PA-18-135 registered N9975Q, operated by George W. Joyner, was involved in an accident near No. Andover, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 17:24
Classification
Accident
Location
No. Andover, Massachusetts, United States
Nearest airport
Lawrence Muni (LWM)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-18-135
Registration
N9975Q
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
George W. Joyner
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
No. Andover → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC90LA042

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE MAGNETO SWITCH DURING A GO-AROUND, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER. ALSO CAUSAL TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF A SECOND AIRPLANE TO RESPOND TO THE TOWER CONTROLLER'S INSTRUCTIONS. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LIMITED FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT OF N9975Q WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TOWER TO MAKE A GO-AROUND, BECAUSE ANOTHER AIRPLANE HAD FAILED TO RESPOND TO TOWER INSTRUCTIONS. THE PILOT SAID, 'I APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND CLOSED THE CARB HEAT THEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT.' WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS ON THE RUNWAY, STILL IGNORING TOWER INSTRUCTIONS. THE PILOT OF N9975Q BANKED LEFT AND LANDED IN SNOW COVERED GRASS, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS SET IN THE OFF POSITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-18 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
22 Apr 1989 Piper PA-18
N90918
Anchorage, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
22 Apr 1989 Piper PA-18
N1738A
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States Niver, Mark A. Minor injuries -
30 Apr 1989 Piper PA-18
N3902Z
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
no coordinates
Fritz J. Christie Minor injuries -
19 Jan 1989 Piper PA-18-150
N83596
Medicine Lake, Montana, United States - No injuries -
18 May 1989 Piper PA-18
N7761D
Harding Lake, Alaska, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
8 Feb 1989 Piper PA-18-150
N4355Z
Boulder, Colorado, United States Boulder Flying Service No injuries -

All 2,950 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Jul 1989 Piper PA-28-161
N2752M
Beverly, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Beverly Flight Center, Inc. Minor injuries -
12 Aug 1989 MBB ME 209
N209AA
Chatham, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
18 Aug 1989 Cessna 172P
N65105
Gardner, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Peter Erik Thomassen Minor injuries -
8 Sep 1989 Enstrom F28A
N203Q
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
TMA Inc. No injuries -
1 Sep 1989 Beechcraft 1900C
N318BH
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
5 Oct 1989 Smeesters RV-4
N671RS
North Andover, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 1

All 170,864 records in United States