Piper PA-30 accident near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, August 27, 1994
On August 27, 1994 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8541Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (Mountain View airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN INFLIGHT COLLISSION WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1994 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wolfeboro, New Hampshire · Mountain View
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8541Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1599
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING LANDING AT A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. HE STATED THAT HE ADDED POWER TO GO-AROUND, BUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK SOME BRANCHES AND SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 661 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 558 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFM Sanford ME at 9:00 pm
- Destination: PVT NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,000 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.