Beech D-45 accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, May 22, 1984
On May 22, 1984 at about 11:40 am local time, a Beech D-45, registered N812Z, was destroyed in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 22, 1984 · about 11:40 am local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-45 · all D-45s on the register
- Registration
- N812Z · registry record · serial BG78140744
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N812Z CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT ONE MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE TAUNTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. WITNESSES IN THE AREA OBSERVED THE ACFT PRIOR TO THE CRASH. ONE WITNESS SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE YELLOW SMOKE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ACFT. SOME OF THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT ENG STOP RUNNING AND THEN START ONE OR MORE TIMES PRIOR TO THE ACFT DESCENDING RAPIDLY AND SPINNING BEFORE THE SOUND OF THE IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT WAS INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAKING HIS COMMERCIAL CHECK RIDE. A POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION OF THE PLT DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-EXISTING DISEASE THAT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED THE PLT'S PERFORMANCE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL CONTROL INLET LINE 'B' NUT WAS LOOSE ABOUT 1.5 TURNS FROM FINGER TIGHT. A TEST ON A SIMILIAR UNIT USING SAME SIZE FITTINGS SHOWED A LEAKAGE RATE OF 67 G/HR AT INLET PRESSURE OF 21 PSIG.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 289 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60,439 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1983; 299 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,985 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-4(3) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NZW So. Weymouth MA at 11:23 am
- Destination: TAN Taunton MA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from NZW, 17 miles away
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.
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.