Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Great Barrngton, Massachusetts, January 19, 1990
On January 19, 1990, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N38389, was destroyed in an accident near Great Barrngton, Massachusetts (Great Barrington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed, 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM TREES WHILE DEPARTING FROM THE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, HIS ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT AND BALANCE TO BE EXCEEDED, DARKNESS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1990
- Place
- Great Barrngton, Massachusetts · Great Barrington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed, 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N38389 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7780423
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND FIVE PASSENGERS FLEW TO THE GREAT BARRINGTON AIRPORT TO NIGHT SKI AT A NEARBY AREA. AFTER ARRIVAL, THEY LEARNED THAT THE SKI FACILITY WAS CLOSED. THEY DECIDED TO FLY TO PITTSFIELD, MA, WHERE SKI AREAS WERE OPEN. WHILE DEPARTING FROM RUNWAY 29, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TOP OF A 60 FT TREE, 493 FT FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT OUT OF CONTROL, HIT OTHER TREES AND CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 3868 LBS; ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS CALCULATED TO BE 95.71 INCHES. THE AIRCRAFT'S MAXIMUM CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT WAS 3500 LBS AND ITS MAXIMUM AFT CG LIMIT WAS 95 INCHES. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT TO THIS AIRPORT.
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: 325 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air East
The flight
- Destination: PSF Pittsfield, MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,579 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 pm from BAF, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N38389 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.