Piper PA-28-140 accident near No. Hampton, New Hampshire, April 20, 1985
On April 20, 1985 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N95043, was destroyed in an accident near No. Hampton, New Hampshire (Hampton Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- April 20, 1985 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- No. Hampton, New Hampshire · Hampton Airfield
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N95043 · no longer on the register · serial 2825782
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON APRIL 20, 1985, A PIPER PA-28-140, FLOWN BY A STUDENT PLT, CRASHED DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND AT NORTH HAMPTON, NH, WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLT. THE WX WAS CLEAR, WINDS WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. THE TOUGH RWY IS 2050 FT LONG AND 300 FT WIDE AND IS SURROUNDED BY TREES. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLT FLEW DOWN THE RWY AND AT ABOUT TE MIDFIELD POINT, THE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THE PLT EXECUTED A TURN TO THE LEFT. DURING THE TURN TO THE LEFT, THE BANK INCREASED TO 90 DEGREES, THE NOSE DROPPED BELOW THE HORIZON, AND THE ACFT CRASHED INTO AN OPEN FIELD,. NONE OF THE WITNESSES HEARD AN INCREASE IN ENG RPM DURING THE GO-AROUND. THE PLT HAD APRX 30 HRS TOTAL FLYING TIME AND HAD NOT FLOWN INTO THIS AIRFIELD BEFORE. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED ALL OF HIS INSTRUCTION AT ANOTHER AIRFIELD LOCATED 20 MILES AWAY. THIS WAS THE PLT'S FIRST KNOWN ATTEMPT TO LAND AT ANOTHER ARPT.
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: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,454 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1984; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWM Lawrence MA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 7B3 N.Hampton NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,050 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 100 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from PSM, 7 miles away
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.