Piper PA-24-250 accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts, February 28, 1988
On February 28, 1988 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5435P, was destroyed in an accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts (Plymouth Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people 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 28, 1988 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Massachusetts · Plymouth Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5435P · no longer on the register · serial 24-489
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE PA-24 SAID EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL UNTIL HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP. HE SAID A POWER LOSS FOLLOWED. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED PRIOR TO MAKING AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. A WITNESS IN THE AIRCRAFT SAID THE LEFT FUEL GAGE SHOWED EMPTY AND THE RIGHT SHOWED 15 GALLONS. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND APPROXIMATELY 16 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT TANK. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, TANK SELECTOR VALVE OR ENGINE.
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: private
- Flight time: 403 hours in all; 403 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 403 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 1987; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6BO Middlebury VT at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.