Aviat A-1 accident near Duxbury, Massachusetts, October 19, 1997
On October 19, 1997 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Aviat A-1, registered N9614B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duxbury, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane. A related factor was the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1997 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Duxbury, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1
- Registration
- N9614B · no longer on the register · serial 1176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During taxiing after landing to the west on a private, up-sloping grass field, the pilot added some power to make a 180 degree left turn to park the airplane. As he started the turn with left rudder and left toe brake, a strong wind gust caught the airplane, and the airplane nosed over. He said the winds were from the east at 10 knots with wind gusts to 18 knots. He said there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane, and the accident could have been prevented, 'by cutting the engine after roll out and turning the aircraft around by hand.'
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,499 hours in all; 671 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,499 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 717 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1997; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360C1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MA02 Cranland MA at 3:05 pm
- Destination: NONE MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.