Boeing E75 accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, August 8, 2008
On August 8, 2008 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Boeing E75, registered N4923N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sterling, Massachusetts (Sterling Airport). It was a personal 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 owner/pilot's improper flare. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command's inadequate remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2008 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Massachusetts · Sterling Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing E75 · all E75s on the register
- Registration
- N4923N · registry record · serial 75-8216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At its home airport, a Boeing E75 was purposely landed in the grass adjacent to the runway. The airplane touched down hard, the left main landing gear strut separated from the airplane, the right main landing gear strut bent, the propeller struck the ground, and the lower left wing spar broke. Their were no injuries to the owner/pilot who was flying the airplane from the rear cockpit, or his friend, who according to the owner, was acting as pilot-in-command since his flight review was "expired."
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 620 hours in all; 620 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,499 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,357 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,456.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3B3 Sterling MA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 3B3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,086 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from FIT, 8 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N4923N 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.