Piper PA-31T1 accident near Pittsfield, Maine, February 19, 1993
On February 19, 1993 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA-31T1, registered N6192A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pittsfield, Maine (Pittsfield Muni). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE A LANDING WITHOUT RUNWAY LIGHTS, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1993 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Pittsfield, Maine · Pittsfield Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T1 · all PA-31T1s on the register
- Registration
- N6192A · no longer on the register · serial 31T-7904009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TRIED TO ACTIVATE THE RADIO-CONTROLLED RUNWAY BOUNDARY LIGHTS ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY, AND ALSO WHILE HE WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, BUT HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE CONTINUED HIS DESCENT TO APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND USING THE VASI (VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR) LIGHTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT AND' FELT WELL ENOUGH IN SIGHT TO COMPLETE LANDING.' THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES OF SNOW 60 FEET OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. HE SAID AS HE GOT CLOSER TO THE GROUND HE REALIZED IT WAS SNOW-MOBILE TRACKS AND NOT THE RUNWAY. HE TRIED TO GO-AROUND BUT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND COLLAPSING THE NOSEGEAR.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,952 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 24, 1992; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cianbro CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: PWM Portland ME at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from BGR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.