Piper PA-23-235 N4959P
14 December 1991 · Fall River, Massachusetts, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 14 December 1991 at about 22:45 local time, a Piper PA-23-235 registered N4959P, operated by Milton Novotny, was involved in an accident near Fall River, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 22:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fall River, Massachusetts, United States
- Nearest airport
- Fall River Municipal (FLR)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-235
- Registration
- N4959P
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Milton Novotny
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Bowling Green → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- NYC92FA047
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW IFR PROCEEDURES AND WAS MANUVERING AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE; FATIGUE, FOG AND NO VISUAL GROUND CLUES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE ON AN NDB APPROACH, THE PILOT CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN WHEN HE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED THE PILOT REESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AND SAID HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPORT. ATC INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CLIMB TO 2000 FEET, BUT HE DID NOT REPLY. THE LAST RADAR RETURN DEPICTED THE AIRPLANE TURNING TO THE LEFT (NORTHEAST), THE PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH IS A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1900 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES ABOUT 1 1/2 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. WHEN THE PILOT STARTED THE APPROACH HE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 HOUR AND 40 MINUTES, NON STOP FROM KENTUCKY. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN FLOWN ALMOST TOTALLY IN IMC CONDITIONS, MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE, AND RIME ICE. THE APPROACH WAS ATTEMPTED DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS WITH LOW VISIBILITY AND NO GROUND REFERENCES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jul 1991 | Piper PA-23-250 | New Market, Virginia, United States | John Root | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1991 | Piper PA-23-250 | Templeton, Massachusetts, United States | Charles O'donnell | No injuries | - |
| 7 Feb 1991 | Piper PA-23-250 | Liberty, North Carolina, United States | Shamrock Gravure Products, Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Jul 1991 | Piper PA-23-250 | Manteo, North Carolina, United States | Brookfield Aviation, Inc | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Jan 1991 | Piper PA-23 | Bolivar, Tennessee, United States | Bolivar Aircraft Sales | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 1991 | Piper PA-23-250 | Lumberton, North Carolina, United States | Hester, Harry | Fatal | 1 |
All 1,716 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jul 1991 | Hiller UH-12B | Westfield, Massachusetts, United States | James T. Kilbridge | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft C-23 | Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States | David J. Stoddard | No injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 1991 | Mooney M20J | Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States | Thomas P. Heeney | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Sep 1991 | Cessna 172M | Norwood, Massachusetts, United States | Executive Flyers Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 1991 | McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | East Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Continental Airlines Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 Apr 1991 | Bell 47-G3B1 | Harwich, Massachusetts, United States | Firefly Leasing, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |