Aerospatiale ATR-42-320 accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut, October 12, 1991
On October 12, 1991 at about 10:20 am local time, a Aerospatiale ATR-42-320, registered N25811, suffered minor damage in an accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut (Sikorsky Memorial airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE EMPLOYEE'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES AND THE DIVERSION OF HER ATTENTION WHICH RESULTED IN HER BEING STRUCK BY A SPINNING PROPELLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1991 · about 10:20 am local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Connecticut · Sikorsky Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale ATR-42-320
- Registration
- N25811 · no longer on the register · serial 094
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLIGHT 3894 WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE RUNNING, IN PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE. THE INJURED EMPLOYEE WAS AN OFF DUTY, NON REVENUE PASSENGER TRAVELLING TO NEWARK. THE EMPLOYEE WAS ASSISTING THE STATION AGENT PREPARE THE FLIGHT FOR DEPARTURE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. NEITHER THE FLIGHT CREW NOR THE STATION AGENT WERE AWARE OF THE EMPLOYEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE UNTIL THEY HEARD A 'LOUD THUMP' AND OBSERVED THE EMPLOYEE LYING BENEATH THE PROPELLER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,400 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 6,200 as pilot in command; 1,170 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,010 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 11, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 36,870 lb
- Seats: 50
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW121 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.