Piper PA-28-180 accident near Byfield, Massachusetts, September 11, 1993
On September 11, 1993 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4898T, was destroyed in an accident near Byfield, Massachusetts (Manter Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CLIMB FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1993 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Byfield, Massachusetts · Manter Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4898T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7205220
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED HIS PRE-TAKEOFF AND RUN-UP CHECKS SUCCESSFULLY. HE WAS TAKING OFF FROM A PRIVATE FIELD, AND AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE RPM DROPPED FROM FULL RPM TO IDLE RPM. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE STATED THAT HE PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE TO CUSHION THE IMPACT AS THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SOME PINE TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THERE WERE SEVERAL WITNESSES WHO HEARD THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SOUND INTERMITTENTLY DURING TAKEOFF BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE TREES. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND REPORTED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS CONTAINED 25 GALLONS AND 5 GALLONS RESPECTIVELY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,119 hours in all; 1,059 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,063 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,824 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1993; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 1,700 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from BVY, 10 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.