Fairchild M-62 accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina, May 22, 1994
On May 22, 1994 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Fairchild M-62, registered N61845, was destroyed in an accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina (Hendersonville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1994 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hendersonville, North Carolina · Hendersonville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild M-62 · all M-62s on the register
- Registration
- N61845 · no longer on the register · serial T42-3129
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, PERFORMING 'S' TURNS BEHIND OTHER TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA IN A STEEP, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. NO EYEWITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT WERE LOCATED. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF AIRCRAFT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER WAS CONSISTENT WITH ROTATION AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT DID NOT RECALL THE EVENTS OF THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,280 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,398 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1993; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Fairchild 6-440-C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,075 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from AVL, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.