Centrair 101A accident near Barre, Massachusetts, May 4, 1985
On May 4, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Centrair 101A (glider), registered N4429W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Barre, Massachusetts (Barre Hiller airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Barre, Massachusetts · Barre Hiller
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Centrair 101A · all 101As on the register
- Registration
- N4429W · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND AND LANDED IN TREES. BY THE TIME THE PLT REALIZED HIS SITUATION IT WAS TOO LATE AND HIS WING TIP HIT A TREE TOP. THE ACFT CAMP TO REST IN TREES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 1985; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown 11 (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC85LA116.