Piper PA-28R accident near Manchester, New Hampshire, April 1, 1988
On April 1, 1988 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R, registered CFQQW, was destroyed in an accident near Manchester, New Hampshire (Manchester airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 1, 1988 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Manchester, New Hampshire · Manchester
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R · all PA-28Rs on the register
- Registration
- CFQQW · no longer on the register · serial 28R-3047B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FLIGHT TO BURLINGTON, VERMONT WAS UNEVENTFUL. WHILE ON THE GROUND AT BURLINGTON THE AIRCRAFT WAS SERVICED; THEN THE FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED. AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR OF FLIGHT, HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE AND LOW OIL PRESSURE WAS EXPERIENCED AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT MANCHESTER. AFTER MAINTENANCE THE PILOT WAS TOLD THAT THE ACFT WAS READY FOR A TEST FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT GROUND CHECKED OK, BUT DURING CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PLT WAS ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 06 WHEN HE CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE LNDG DUE TO ROUGH RUNNING ENG. TWR CLEARED HIM TO LAND ON RWY 6. THE PLT TURNED LEFT HALFWAY DOWN RWY 6 FOR DOWNWIND TO RWY 35. HE WAS THEN CLEARED FOR 35. TURNING BASE TO FINAL THE ACFT OVERSHOT THE WINDLINE, STEEPENED THE TURN, STALLED AND CRASHED. A POSTCRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN SERVICED WITH JET-A FUEL.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 470 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Manchester NH at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.