Cessna 337C N973FS
12 September 1999 · North Adams, Massachusetts, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 September 1999 at about 17:29 local time, a Cessna 337C registered N973FS, operated by George F. Shelton, was involved in an accident near North Adams, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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 17:29
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- North Adams, Massachusetts, United States
- Nearest airport
- North Adams (AQW)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337C
- Registration
- N973FS
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- George F. Shelton
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC99FA222
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the failure of the pilot of the Cessna 305 to follow the instructions issued, and maintain a low altitude. A factor was the delay in evasive action by the pilot of the Cessna 337 after he was first advised that the Cessna 305 was climbing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Three airplanes were making fly-bys at an airshow. The pilots were briefed to prepare for multiple passes. The faster airplane, a Cessna 337 was assigned a minimum altitude of 500 feet AGL, while the two slower airplanes, a Piper J3C-65, followed by Cessna 305 were restricted from climbing above 200 feet AGL. After the Cessna 337 made one fly-by, the Piper and Cessna 305 flew by show-center. Passing show-center, the Piper remained below 200 feet AGL. However, the Cessna 305 initiated a climb as the Cessna 337 returned toward show-center for his second pass. Witnesses reported the airboss advised the pilot of the Cessna 337 that the Cessna 305 was climbing. The downward visibility over the nose of the Cessna 337 restricted the pilot from seeing the Cessna 305 until it appeared in front of him. At the time of the collision, the Cessna 337 was maneuvering to the right and descending. The Cessna 305 was in a wings level climb straight ahead.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 337C 337C | N973FS | George F. Shelton | Destroyed |
| Cessna 305C 305C | N3255P | - | Destroyed |
Other Cessna 337 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 1999 | Cessna 337 | Edgewood, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jul 1999 | Cessna 337B | Seldovia, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Nov 1998 | Cessna 337C | New Hudson, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Jul 2000 | Cessna 337C | Chesapeake, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2000 | Cessna 337 | Prnce Frederick, Maryland, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 13 Jul 2000 | Cessna 337G | Battle Mountain, Nevada, United States | US Dept of Interior | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1999 | Piper PA-34-200 | Hopedale, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Oct 1999 | Piper PA-12 | Orange, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Dec 1999 | Cessna 172P | Leominster, Massachusetts, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Sep 1999 | Cessna 182 | Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Beechcraft 1900D | Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 1999 | Cessna 172P | Lawrence, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |