Piper PA-23-235 accident near Fall River, Massachusetts, December 14, 1991
On December 14, 1991 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-235, registered N4959P, was destroyed in an accident near Fall River, Massachusetts (Fall River Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW IFR PROCEEDURES AND WAS MANUVERING AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE; FATIGUE, FOG AND NO VISUAL GROUND CLUES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 1991 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fall River, Massachusetts · Fall River Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-235 · all PA-23-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4959P · no longer on the register · serial 27-560
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON AN NDB APPROACH, THE PILOT CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN WHEN HE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED THE PILOT REESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AND SAID HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPORT. ATC INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CLIMB TO 2000 FEET, BUT HE DID NOT REPLY. THE LAST RADAR RETURN DEPICTED THE AIRPLANE TURNING TO THE LEFT (NORTHEAST), THE PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH IS A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1900 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES ABOUT 1 1/2 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. WHEN THE PILOT STARTED THE APPROACH HE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 HOUR AND 40 MINUTES, NON STOP FROM KENTUCKY. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN FLOWN ALMOST TOTALLY IN IMC CONDITIONS, MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE, AND RIME ICE. THE APPROACH WAS ATTEMPTED DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS WITH LOW VISIBILITY AND NO GROUND REFERENCES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,830 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 2,577 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BWG Bowling Green KY at 6:16 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 3,948 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from EWB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.