Piper PA-30 accident near Worcester, Massachusetts, July 24, 1985
On July 24, 1985 at about 11:31 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N999RH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Worcester, Massachusetts (Worcester Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 24, 1985 · about 11:31 pm local time
- Place
- Worcester, Massachusetts · Worcester Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N999RH · no longer on the register · serial 30-421
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS. ON THE 4TH LANDING, THE APCH & TOUCHDOWN WERE MADE WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED. THE CFI BEGAN TO RETRACT THE FLAPS WHILE THE STUDENT APPLIED FULL POWER FOR TAKEOFF. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE & BEGAN TO YAW TO THE LEFT. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT WHEN THE STUDENT COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE CFI THEN REDUCED POWER ON BOTH ENGS IN AN EFFORT TO LAND. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND & BEGAN BURNING. THE CFI THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION. HOWEVER, A VISUAL EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT BOTH FLAPS WERE IN THE NEARLY FULL DOWN POSITION.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,734 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days; 4,571 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,460 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1984; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:31 pm from ORH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.