Piper PA-34-200T accident near Bennington, Vermont, November 29, 1983
On November 29, 1983 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N2958R, was destroyed in an accident near Bennington, Vermont (Bennington State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 29, 1983 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bennington, Vermont · Bennington State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2958R · no longer on the register · serial 34-7970403
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT THE 1,800 FT LEVEL APPROXIMATELY 2 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE VOR-A APPROACH. THE MISSED APPROACH POINT IS THE 6 DME POINT FROM THE CAMBRIDGE VOR ON THE 159 DEG RADIAL. MDA IS 1,740 FT. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT'S DME WAS INTERMITTENT, BELIEVED HE HAD A 10 KT TAILWIND & USED THE 3 MINUTE TIME FROM THE FAF TO THE MAP. ACCORDING TO THE APPROACH PROCEDURE A 3 MINUTE TIME IS USED FOR AN APPROACH SPEED OF 120 KTS. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT'S GROUND SPEED ON FINAL FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 169 & 184 KTS. A WITNESS ON THE ARPT DESCRIBED THE WX AS CEILING INDEFINITE ZERO OBSCURED & VISIBILITY ZERO IN FOG.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,505 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 2,315 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,604 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1983; 252 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pronto Air Light
The flight
- Departed from: AIY Atlantic City NJ at 6:08 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from 5B5, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.