Mbb ME 209 accident near Chatham, Massachusetts, August 12, 1989
On August 12, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Mbb ME 209, registered N209AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chatham, Massachusetts (Chatham airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT STALLED THE AIRCRAFT WHILE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE HAZE AND THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TOO LATE TO ARREST THE AIRPLANE'S SINK RATE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chatham, Massachusetts · Chatham
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb ME 209
- Registration
- N209AA · no longer on the register · serial 121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CONDUCTING A BFR FLIGHT, THE CFI CALLED FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING AT CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. AT THE TIME OF THE APPROACH THERE WAS HAZE AND POOR VISIBILITY. THE CFI STATED, '...WE WERE GETTING LOW BUT STILL OK. THE AIRCRAFT GOT TO A FLAT APPROACH WITH NOSE HIGH AND GETTING BEHIND THE POWER CURVE ... BOTH THE PILOT AND I REACTED TOO LATE FOR THIS PARTICULAR AIRPLANE TO RECOVER ALTITUDE.' THE AIRPLANE MUSHED INTO TREE TOPS. THE NOSE WHEEL CAUGHT ON A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,789 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 257 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,597 as pilot in command; 1,065 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1988; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,808 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OB6 Chatham MA at 7:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.