Aerospatiale TB-10 accident near Pittsfield, Massachusetts, March 26, 1989
On March 26, 1989 at about 3:15 am local time, a Aerospatiale TB-10, registered N20NQ, was destroyed in an accident near Pittsfield, Massachusetts (Albany airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE BRIEFING PROVIDED BY THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) SPECIALIST, DARK NIGHT, LOW CLOUDS, AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1989 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Pittsfield, Massachusetts · Albany
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale TB-10
- Registration
- N20NQ · no longer on the register · serial 695
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG VFR FLT AT NGT, PLT TRIED CTCG ALBANY APCH CTL (ALB), 40 MI FM DESTN. CTLR ANSWERED CALL & RPRTD HE WAS NOT RCVG TRANSPONDER (XPDR), BUT PLT DID NOT HEAR HIM AS HIS ACFT WAS TOO FAR AWAY. PLT WAS ADZD, VIA AN AIRLINER, TO CALL AGAIN AFTER PROCEEDING FURTHER INBND. ABT 13 MIN LATER, PLT ESTABLISHED CTC WITH ALB, APRX 27 MI SE IN VCNTY OF PITTSFIELD AT 2500' MSL. HE ASKED, 'MY ALT OF 2500, IS THAT OK?' CTLR THOUGHT PLT WAS REFERRING TO QUALITY OF XPDR READ-OUT OF 2500' & REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' CTLR THEN ASKED IF PLT WAS VFR; PLT SAID HE WAS. SOON THEREAFTER, CTC WITH ACFT WAS LOST. IT DSCNDED INTO RISING TRRN AT ELEV OF ABT 1800'. NO PREIMPACT MECH PRBLM WAS FND. DRG PREFLT WX BRIEFING, FSS PSNL DID NOTADZ PLT OF FLT PRCTN OF OBSCD MTNS. MVA IN AREA WAS 4000' MSL. ANOTHER PLT OPERG FM PITTSFIELD RPRTD BASES OF OVC WERE RAGGED AT 2500' TO 3000' MSL & HIGHER TRRN WAS OBSCD BY CLOUDS. RCC NOT NOTIFIED; SEARCH DELAYED; CTLR'S SUPVR NOTIFIED ARTCC PER PROC FOR IFR ACFT. ARTCC DID NOT NOTIFY RCC, SINCE ACFT WAS VFR; HOWEVER, CRASH WAS NOT SURVIVABLE.
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: 92 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 105 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 23, 1989; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CEF Westover Afb MA at 2:41 am
- Destination: ALB Albany NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from ALB, 27 miles away
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.