Piper PA32 accident near Florida, Massachusetts, December 20, 2019
On December 20, 2019 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA32, registered N4726S, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Florida, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s fuel mismanagement during flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a forced landing in a remote, wooded terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2019 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Florida, Massachusetts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 260, built 1969 · all PA32s on the register
- Registration
- N4726S · registry record · serial 32-1165
- 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 he departed on the night, cross-country flight with full fuel tanks, or 84 gallons total on board. About 1.5 hours into the flight, the engine lost all power, and a restart attempt was unsuccessful. He performed a forced landing in remote, wooded, mountainous terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; one passenger had serious injuries. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine. The fuel selector was found positioned on the right main tank. The right main tank was punctured, but otherwise was not breached. No fuel was found below the puncture hole. Examination of the fuel lines found that the line from the engine firewall to the fuel pump and the line from the fuel pump to the carburetor were absent of fuel. The other three tanks were damaged, and fuel staining was observed on the snow around the main wreckage. Performance data for the airplane indicated that the engine would have consumed a fuel amount approximating the capacity of the right main tank prior to the loss of power. It is likely that the pilot exhausted the fuel in the right tank and did not switch tanks during his attempt to restore engine power.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 10, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 2019; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISP New York NY at 9:30 pm
- Destination: RUT Rutland VT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.54 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from PSF, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on March 22, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Written Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Correspondence with Pilot | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector Statement - Ballou | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector Statement - Godbout | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Excerpts - Florida Ma Fire Department Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Flight Review Documentation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Excerpts - Maintenance Logbooks | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Excerpt - POH | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo Array | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.