Piper PA-23-250 accident near Edgartown, Massachusetts, October 19, 1991
On October 19, 1991 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N14189, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edgartown, Massachusetts (Martha'S Vineyard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND THROTTLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1991 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Edgartown, Massachusetts · Martha'S Vineyard
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N14189 · no longer on the register · serial 27-4751
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A FULL FLAP LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED BOUNCING. HE ADDED POWER, HOWEVER, HE DID NOT ADD FULL POWER AND MAKE A GO AROUND. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED BOUNCING UNTIL THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. WHEN INTERVIEWED, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS OVER CAUTIOUS ABOUT ADDING FULL POWER WITH FULL FLAPS BECAUSE HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT AN UNCONTROLLABLE PITCHUP FOLLOWED BY A STALL.
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: 2,993 hours in all; 1,483 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,662 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 1990; 180 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Professional Pensions INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT at 1:00 pm
- Destination: MVY MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.