Beech E33 accident near Bedford, Massachusetts, May 11, 1982
On May 11, 1982 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Beech E33, registered N7457N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bedford, Massachusetts (Henson Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1982 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bedford, Massachusetts · Henson Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E33 · all E33s on the register
- Registration
- N7457N · no longer on the register · serial CD 1182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO START THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE ELECTRIC STARTER WHEN THE BATTERY HAD INSUFFICIENT POWER TO CRANK THE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHUT OFF THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR SWITCHES, TURNED OFF THE MAGNETO SWITCH, AND REMOVED THE KEYS. HE STATED THAT HE THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND BEGAN PULLING THE ENGINE THROUGH TO COAT THE CYLINDER WALLS WITH OIL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE STARTED AND THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED ACROSS THE RAMP AND STRUCK ANOTHER PLANE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE KEYS COULD BE REMOVED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE RIGHT MAG POSITION. A TEARDOWN OF THE SWITCH REVEALED THAT THE CONTACTS WERE BURNED AND THE LOCK CYLINDER CHAMBER WAS WORN. THERE WAS NO RECORD SHOWING COMPLIANCE WITH AD 76-07-12 FOR AN INSPECTION OF THE BENDIX IGNITION SWITCH, PN 10-357200-1.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 380 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bedford MA at 7:05 pm
- Destination: Bedford MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 4 |
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.