Piper PA-34-200T N40AB

Summary

On 29 August 1997 at about 02:00 local time, a Piper PA-34-200T registered N40AB was involved in an accident near Hancock, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 August 1997 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Hancock, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Pittsfield Municipal (PSF)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-34-200T

Registration

N40AB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chicago → Pittsfield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC97FA173

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance and the proper altitude. Contributing was mountainous terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a 4 hour night cross-country flight, the airplane was observed on radar at 7,500 feet, 50 miles west of the pilot's destination. It was on a ground track of 109 degrees, at a ground speed of 167 knots. The ATC facility was not in communication with or expecting the airplane. The airplane began a descent, and maintained a 109 degree ground track, at 169 knots. The last radar sweep displayed the airplane level at 1,900 feet MSL, on the track of 109 degrees, at 149 knots. The airplane struck a 2,100 foot ridge line in level flight, at 1,800 feet MSL. The destination airport was 105 degrees and 4.2 miles east of the impact site. The cloud coverage was about 2,200 feet MSL. Examination revealed no preimpact failure of the airframe or engines. The pilot had a recent history of high blood sugar and was on medication to control it. There was no record of a flight plan or flight following with air traffic control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.