Piper PA-31T accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, February 21, 1994
On February 21, 1994 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N777JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norwood, Massachusetts (Norwood Memorial airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY, AND HIS FAILURE TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO INITIATE THE APPROACH IN BELOW-MINIMUM WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER, AND THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1994 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts · Norwood Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N777JM · registry record · serial 31T-7820064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHTCREW WAS ADVISED PRIOR TO INITIATING THE APPROACH THAT VISIBILITY AT THE AIRPORT HAD DECREASED TO 1/8 MI WITH LIGHT RAIN, FOG AND OBSCURATION. PUBLISHED LANDING VISIBILITY MINIMUMS FOR THE APPROACH WAS 1 MI. THE 150-FT WIDE RUNWAY HAD BEEN PLOWED 100 FT WIDE, AND THERE WERE SNOWBANKS UP TO 3 FT HIGH ON BOTH SIDES. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE UNPLOWED PORTION OF THE RUNWAY ONTO A SNOWBANK, COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THE FLIGHTCREW STATED THAT THE APPROACH LIGHTS AND RUNWAY WERE IN SIGHT DURING THE ENTIRE APPROACH, AND THAT THE SECOND PILOT TOLD THE PIC THAT HE WAS TOO FAR LEFT AND NEEDED TO CORRECT TO THE RIGHT AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN. THE TOWER CONTROLLER STATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT LANDED DUE TO FOG.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,800 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 12,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,466 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 19, 1994; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,050 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eastern Air Charter, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Bangor ME at 10:00 pm
- Destination: OWD MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 4,007 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 0.1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from OWD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.