Piper PA-31T2 accident near Mattapan, Massachusetts, August 24, 1990
On August 24, 1990 at about 10:33 am local time, a Piper PA-31T2, registered N85HB, was destroyed in an accident near Mattapan, Massachusetts (General Edward Lawrence Logan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE LEFT FUEL CONTROL UNIT, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1990 · about 10:33 am local time
- Place
- Mattapan, Massachusetts · General Edward Lawrence Logan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T2 · all PA-31T2s on the register
- Registration
- N85HB · registry record · serial 31T-812021
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT NOTED AN OVER TORQUE CONDITION IN THE LEFT ENG AS THE ACFT WAS ON AN ILS APCH. HE MADE A GO-AROUND & INITIATED ANOTHER APCH WITH THE ENG SHUT DOWN. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT & THE ACFT BEGAN A DECENT THAT WAS NOT ARRESTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED INTO 2 HOMES, APRX 6 MI FROM THE ARPT. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT ENG REVEALED THE DRIVE SHAFT FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL CONTROL WAS SHEARED AT THE PLASTIC COUPLING. FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THE TWIN BEARINGS THAT SUPPORTED THE DRIVESHAFT HAD FAILED. ALSO, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SHIFTED & SUBSEQUENTLY AN OVERTORQUE CONDITION RESULTED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,926 hours in all; 536 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,715 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 20, 1990; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OB6 Chatham MA at 10:00 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4R, 10,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:29 am from BOS, 6 miles away
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.