Aerospatiale ND-26 accident near Albany, New York, October 20, 1991
On October 20, 1991 at about 6:15 am local time, a Aerospatiale ND-26, registered N29816, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albany, New York (Albany County airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL DURING MAINTENANCE OR MANUFACTURING BY FAILING TO USE CORROSION INHIBITER, WHICH RESULTED IN CORROSION, FATIGUE, AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1991 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Albany, New York · Albany County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale ND-26
- Registration
- N29816 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PROPELLER BLADE FAILED DURING TAKEOFF AND ENTERED THE FUSELAGE. THE CREW ABORTED THE TAKEOFF SUCCESSFULLY. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE BLADE FAILED AS A RESULT OF 'MULTIPLE FATIGUE CRACK ORIGINS (WHICH) HAD EMANATED FROM CORROSION PITS ON THE BLADE BORE SURFACE.' THE BLADE BORE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COATED WITH A CHROMATE CONVERSION TO INHIBIT CORROSION. ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY SPECTROGRAPH (EDS) REVEALED NO EVIDENCE THAT THE CHROMATE CONVERSION COATING HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,917 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 18, 1991; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 23,370 lb
- Seats: 28
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6-45 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Richmor Aviation INC
The flight
- Destination: 1B1 Hudson NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 7,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.