Piper PA-24-250 accident near Marston Mills, Massachusetts, July 20, 1992
On July 20, 1992 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8358P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marston Mills, Massachusetts (Cape Cod Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1992 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marston Mills, Massachusetts · Cape Cod Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8358P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3614
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST TIME ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM THIS AIRPORT, HAVING LANDED THERE EARLIER IN THE DAY. WITNESSES REPORTED THE PILOT DID NOT USE ALL THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY. SEVERAL LOCAL PILOTS SAID THEY ADVISED THE PILOT AGAINST USING THE RUNWAY, BUT HE FELT OTHERWISE, EXPLAINING THAT HE HAD EXTENSIVE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, WHEN HE LIFTED OFF THE AIRPLANE 'SHUDDERED', SO HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK AN OCCUPIED VAN. THE VAN OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT CONSIDER THE ADDITIONAL TAKEOFF DISTANCE NEEDED WHEN AN UNPAVED SURFACE IS USED. ALSO, HE THOUGHT THE RUNWAY WAS ABOUT 400 FEET LONGER THAN ACTUAL.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 166 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 3,217 as pilot in command; 95 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,926 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1992; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2B1 at 3:30 pm
- Destination: ACK Nantucket MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,040 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from HYA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.