Piper PA-28-151 accident near Newbury, Massachusetts, February 5, 1983
On February 5, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N6845J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newbury, Massachusetts. 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 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
- February 5, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newbury, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N6845J · no longer on the register · serial 7615374
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT LEVELED AT 2500 FT & AFTER CRUISING FOR ABOUT 20 MIN, DESCENDED TO 1500 FT MSL. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 1500 FT, THERE WAS A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN ENGINE RPM. THE PLT STATED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, BUT THE RPM CONTINUED TO DROP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. WHILE LANDING IN AN AREA WITH HIGH VEGETATION & TREES, THE ACFT BOUNCED AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HIT A TREE & CAME TO REST WITH THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT & ENGINE WERE EXAMINED, BUT NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE SKY WAS CLEAR, VISIBILITY 15 MI, WIND FROM 320 DEG AT 25 GUSTING 35 KTS, TEMP 28 DEG.
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
- Flight time: 152 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 79 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,209 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1983; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVY Beverly MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from BVY
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.
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.