Piper J5A accident near Holland, Massachusetts, August 27, 2009
On August 27, 2009 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Piper J5A, registered N33078, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Holland, Massachusetts. 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
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2009 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Massachusetts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N33078 · registry record · serial 5-426
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he began the day with an unknown quantity of fuel. Shortly after departing on his second flight of the day, the airplane suffered a complete loss of engine power. During the subsequent forced landing, the left main landing gear caught tall grass and ground-looped the airplane, which resulted in substantial damage to the left landing gear, left wing strut, and left lower fuselage. Post accident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no odor of fuel, no fuel spillage, and 5 ounces of fuel in the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Ground collision during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 443 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 385 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,513 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 2009; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C75 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3B0 Southbridge MA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: 7B6 Warehouse Point CT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from KPBL, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.