Piper PA-32-300 accident near Leominster, Massachusetts, June 2, 2004
On June 2, 2004 at about 1:31 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N21072, was destroyed in an accident near Leominster, Massachusetts (Fitchburg Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow instrument flight procedures resulting in a collision with trees. A factor related to the accident was the low cloud ceiling, and dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2004 · about 1:31 am local time
- Place
- Leominster, Massachusetts · Fitchburg Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N21072 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7840183
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed after impacting terrain during an approach in instrument meteorological conditions. At the destination airport, weather was reported as 3 statute miles of visibility and mist, and an overcast cloud layer at 700 feet. The overcast ceiling was variable from 400 to 1,100 feet agl. The flight progressed without incident, and once in the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot requested and was subsequently cleared for the GPS approach. No further transmissions were received from the pilot. The airplane struck trees, and came to rest in a wooded area, about 1-3/4 miles from the runway 32 threshold, and about 1/2-mile right of the extended centerline. A postcrash fire consumed the main wreckage. The elevation of the accident site was 563 feet msl. Review of the approach plate for the GPS approach revealed that the inbound course from the final approach fix, located about 5 miles prior to the airport, was 324 degrees. The minimums for the straight in approach to runway 32 were 1 statute mile of visibility, and a minimum decision altitude of 960 feet msl (624 feet agl). No procedure turn was required for the approach. Review of radar data revealed that after the airplane crossed the final approach fix, it turned right, away from the final approach course, and began tracking northbound for several seconds. The airplane then made a left turn and proceeded inbound towards the airport and tracked an approximate 300-degree course until the last radar return was received, where the airplane was about 1 mile southeast of the airport at 1,000 feet msl. The pilot had accumulated about 409 hours of total flight experience. Within the previous 6 months, he had accumulated 7 hours, of which 1.7 hours were conducted in simulated instrument conditions, and .7 hours were in actual instrument conditions. The pilot's most recent flight conducted in nighttime conditions was about 20 months prior to the accident.
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: 400 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MHT Manchester NH at 1:09 am
- Destination: FIT Fitchburg MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 1:17 am from FIT, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N21072 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.