Piper PA-28-161 accident near Greenville, Maine, June 19, 1990
On June 19, 1990 at about 4:07 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N44897, was destroyed in an accident near Greenville, Maine (Greenville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE, WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AT NIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG OBSCURING THE DESTINATION AIRPORT LIGHTS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION AT NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1990 · about 4:07 am local time
- Place
- Greenville, Maine · Greenville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N44897 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TOWARD THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS, THOUGH HE TRIED ACTIVATING THEM WITH HIS MIKE SWITCH. HE MADE SEVERAL ORBITING TURNS ABOUT 3 TO 8 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPORT WAS SHROUDED IN HEAVY GROUND FOG AND THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT 2 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT QUALIFIED, BUT HE HAD ABOUT 66 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE. THE LAST RADAR RETURN SHOWED THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 1600 FT MSL, FLYING IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION ABOUT 4 MI SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. ON 6/24/90, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 7 MI SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. IT HAD COLLIDED WITH A 1600 FT MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1460 FT.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 405 hours in all; 250 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: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVY Beverly MA at 2:00 am
- Destination: 3B1 Greenville ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.