Piper PA-38-112 accident near Conway, Massachusetts, September 8, 1992
On September 8, 1992 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2509D, was destroyed in an accident near Conway, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TREES. A POSSIBLE FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S USE OF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1992 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2509D · registry record · serial 79A0346
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN CIRCLING THE PILOT'S HOME AT A LOW ALTITUDE. A NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR STATED SHE HAD SEEN THE AIRPLANE FLYING AROUND THE PILOT'S HOME 'BARELY ABOVE TREE TOP LEVEL, WITH THE LEFT WING LOWER THAN THE RIGHT WING.' THE PILOT'S FIANCEE STATED THAT SHE HEARD THE AIRPLANE FLY OVER THEIR HOME AND THEN HEARD A 'THUMP.' THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE PILOT'S HOME. NO AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. VMC EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS TAKING PRESCRIBED MEDICATION FOR A BIOLOGICALLY BASED DISORDER NAMELY 'PANIC DISORDER.' A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD DETECTED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, FLUOXETINE AND TEMAZEPAM. THE TEST SHOWED 0.044 UG/ML OF TEMAZEPAM, 0.083 UG/ML OF FLUOXETINE, AND 0.138 UG/ML NORFLUOXETINE IN HIS BOOOD.
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
- Flight time: 252 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,442 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1992; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: City Aviation Incorporated
The flight
- Departed from: 7B2 Northampton MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:18 pm from BAF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.