Piper PA-31-350 accident near Whitefield, New Hampshire, February 2, 1985
On February 2, 1985 at about 1:25 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N27522, was destroyed in an accident near Whitefield, New Hampshire (Whitefield). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. 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 2, 1985 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Whitefield, New Hampshire · Whitefield
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N27522 · no longer on the register · serial 317852040
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED AFTER EXECUTING A MISSED APPROACH AT WHITEFIELD DURING IMC WX. THE ACFT WAS SEEN AT 300-400 FT AGL DURING SOME PART OF THE MANEUVERING NEAR THE ARPT. THE ACFT SEEMED TO BE HEADING FOR THE ARPT WHEN LAST SEEN BY GROUND OBSERVERS. THE ONLY INDICATION OF TROUBLE WAS THE LOW ALT. OF FLT. THE ACFT CRASHED AT THE 2800 FT LEVEL OF TWIN MT ON A HDG OF 120 DEG AT 2035 HRS. IT WAS LAST SEEN ABOUT 2015 HOURS. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ENG FUEL DIVIDERS OR FUEL LINES. THE INBOARD TANKS WERE MORE THAN HALF FULL OF FUEL. NORMAL OPERATION CALLS FOR TAKEOFF, CLIMB & DESCENT ON THE INBOARD TANKS. THE OUTBOARD TANKS ARE USED FOR NON-MANEUVERING FLT DURING CRUISE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 15, 1985; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LIO-540-52BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ladco, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BTV Burlington VT
- Destination: HIE Whitefield NH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.