Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts, July 14, 1985
On July 14, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registered N8210H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts (Provicetown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 14, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Provincetown, Massachusetts · Provicetown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8210H · registry record · serial 32R8229054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 7 APCH WHICH WAS MADE WITH A TAIL WIND. ON HIS 1ST ATTEMPT, THE PLT MADE A MISSED APCH & WAS VECTORED FOR ANOTHER ILS. AFTER MAKING A 2ND APCH, HE LANDED. THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS LANDING, HE MISTOOK THE RWY END LIGHTS & LIGHTS ON THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA AS LIGHTS ON ADDITIONAL RWY. WHEN HE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING, IT WAS TO LATE TO GO AROUND. UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY, THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END & ONTO SOFT SANDY TERRAIN WHERE THE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,175 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 1,110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 670 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HYA Hyannis MA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: PVC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 3,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:40 am from PVC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8210H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.