Beech 60 accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, October 26, 1988
On October 26, 1988 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Beech 60, registered N8PX, was destroyed in an accident near Norwood, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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
- October 26, 1988 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 60 · all 60s on the register
- Registration
- N8PX · registry record · serial P436
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST CLIMBED TO 2500 FEET WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER. WHEN HE PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR IN CROSSFEED, BOTH ENGINES QUIT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD LEADING TO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE NOSE, WINGS, AND TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. A POST CRASH INSPECTION OF FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE TANKS OR THE FUEL METERING UNITS FOR EITHER ENGINE. THE PLT STATED AFTER THE ACCD THAT THE LAST TIME HE REFUELED THE ACFT WAS SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN FLOWN SEVERAL TIMES SINCE ITS LAST REFUELING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1988; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,725 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-G1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWD Norwood MA at 3:50 pm
- Destination: West Bow MA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.