Piper PA 44 accident near Keene, New Hampshire, July 7, 2016
On July 7, 2016 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1989 Piper PA 44, registered N190ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Keene, New Hampshire (Dillant-Hopkins airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s failure to use carburetor heat during the approach while operating in atmospheric conditions that were conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2016 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Keene, New Hampshire · Dillant-Hopkins · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 44 180, built 1989 · all PA 44s on the register
- Registration
- N190ND · no longer on the register · serial 4495002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor in the multiengine airplane reported that, during a simulated single-engine instrument approach to runway 2, the right engine was configured for the simulated failure. The instructor added that the goal was to perform a missed approach on one engine and note the airplane's performance. The pilot under instruction descended to the decision height and executed the missed approach procedure, but the airplane would not climb. The flight instructor told the pilot to go to full power on both engines. According to the flight instructor, "mixtures, props and throttles were all full forward and the fuel flow levers were both at the ON position," and he took control of the airplane. The flight instructor reported that there were trees and buildings to the north and that he made a left turn about 400 ft above ground level with the intent to land on runway 14. He extended the landing gear but realized that he would not reach the runway. He executed a forced landing to the southwest on taxiway Sierra, the airplane crossed over runway 32/14, and although heavy braking was applied, the airplane exited the taxiway and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage stringers and longerons. The airport elevation was 488 ft, the density altitude was 2,120 ft, the temperature was 81°, the dew point was 66° F, and the wind was calm, and the flight instructor stated that carburetor heat was not used during the approach on either engine. The relative humidity was about 60 percent, and the weather conditions were conducive to serious icing probability when operating in a gliding flight profile.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during approach (IFR missed approach)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (IFR missed approach)
- Landing area undershoot during emergency descent defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,516 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 5,433 as pilot in command; 4,953 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 3, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,265 hours in all; 6.5 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,175 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 16, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,927 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 28, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 5,860 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-A1H6 (piston); 5,670 hours total
- Operator: Plane Nonsense INC
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 3:05 pm
- Destination: EEN Keene NH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 02, 6,201 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KEEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N190ND the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.