Piper PA-28-140 accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, November 25, 1990
On November 25, 1990 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5780U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts (Taunton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A STRONG CROSS WIND, LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND HIT THE VASI SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1990 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts · Taunton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5780U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 30, WITH WINDS AT 220 DEGREES, AT 16 KNOTS GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED HARD ON LANDING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR. THE AIRPLANE THEN RAN OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO THE GRASS AND STRUCK THE VASI SYSTEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWD Norwood MA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.