Piper PA-28-180 accident near Turners Falls, Massachusetts, January 14, 1989
On January 14, 1989 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N1057X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Turners Falls, Massachusetts. It was a personal 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
LOSS OF CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLL DUE TO ICE ON THE RUNWAY, AND COLLISION WITH A SNOW BANK OFF THE RUNWAY WHICH SHEARED THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1989 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Turners Falls, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N1057X · registry record · serial 28-7505202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING AT MT. SNOW, VERMONT, THE AIRPLANE SLID ON RUNWAY ICE AND THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND. DURING THE GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A SNOW BANK AND SHEARED OFF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. WHEN AIRBORNE THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS VECTORED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WHERE HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND DAMAGED THE LEFT WING.
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: 763 hours in all; 245 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 552 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,729 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1988; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 3:40 pm
- Destination: RUT Rutland VT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 2,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.