Embraer EMB-110P1 accident near Swanzey, New Hampshire, January 14, 2005
On January 14, 2005 at about 3:15 am local time, a Embraer EMB-110P1, registered N49BA, was destroyed in an accident near Swanzey, New Hampshire (Dillant-Hopkins airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to attempt a single-engine missed approach with the airplane in a slow airspeed, full flap configuration, which resulted in a minimum control speed (Vmc) roll. Contributing factors included an inoperative engine for undetermined reasons, the pilot's in-flight decision to divert to an airport with low ceilings and visibility while better conditions existed elsewhere, the pilot's failure to advise or seek assistance from air traffic control or his company, and the low cloud ceilings, fog, and night lighting conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2005 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Swanzey, New Hampshire · Dillant-Hopkins · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-110P1 · all EMB-110P1s on the register
- Registration
- N49BA · no longer on the register · serial 110-301
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
En route to the company's home airport, the twin-engine airplane either experienced a loss of power to the right engine, or the pilot decided to shut the engine down. Although the home airport had night visual meteorological conditions, and there was no evidence of any malfunction with the remaining engine, the pilot opted to fly a night precision instrument approach to an airport 45 nautical miles closer, with a 1-mile visibility and a 100-foot ceiling. Unknown to the pilot, there was also fog at the airport. The pilot did not advise or seek assistance from air traffic control or the company. When the airplane broke out of the clouds, it was not stable. Approaching the runway, at full flaps and exceeding the 25 percent maximum for a go-around, the pilot added full power to the left engine. The high power setting, slow airspeed, and full flaps combination resulted in a minimum control speed (Vmc) roll. No determination could be made as to why the right engine was inoperative, and there were no mechanical or fuel-related anomalies found that would have precluded normal operation.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,292 hours in all; 338 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,217 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 39,466 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 1, 2004; 139 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-36 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Bangor ME at 1:18 am
- Destination: EEN Swanzey NH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 02, 6,201 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 am from EEN
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC05FA042.