Piper PA-38-112 accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, March 2, 2008
On March 2, 2008 at about 8:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9182A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Norwood, Massachusetts (Norwood Memorial 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 failure of the flightcrew to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2008 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts · Norwood Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9182A · registry record · serial 38-82A0102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew was advised by air traffic control that the wind was from 320 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 16 knots, and was cleared for a touch-and-go landing on runway 35. After touchdown with neutral aileron and rudder control input, the student glanced to remove carburetor heat and retract the flaps but looked outside of the cockpit and noted the airplane was moving towards the right side of the runway and was not lined up. The certified flight instructor took control of the airplane and attempted to correct but the right main landing gear collided with a snow bank at the right edge of the runway.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 10,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,000 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: East Coast Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: KBED Bedford MA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: KOWD Norwood MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,008 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KOWD
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.
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.