Piper PA-30 accident near Gilford, New Hampshire, September 25, 2002
On September 25, 2002 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7106Y, was destroyed in an accident near Gilford, New Hampshire (Laconia Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in an uncontrolled collision with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2002 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Gilford, New Hampshire · Laconia Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7106Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-124
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Piper PA-30, Twin Comanche departed on a local multi-engine training flight. A few minutes later, it impacted water. Several witnesses observed the airplane and reported different airplane actions prior to impact. Examination of the airplane revealed that when it contacted the water, it was in a near flat attitude, rotating nose left, with the right wing lower than the left wing. Metal distortion was found on the tip tanks and outboard sections of both wings that was consistent with the left wing moving rearward, and the right wing moving forward, at the time of impact. The tip weight on the rudder was bent over to the right. Both engine mounts were deformed to the right. Damage to both propellers was consistent with the propellers in the governing range, at or near the same power setting, and not feathered. There was no evidence of a pre-existing failure or malfunction with the airplane or engines.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 811 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 692 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 904 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alan Emerson Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LCI Laconia NH at 3:00 pm
- Destination: LCI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from LCI, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.