Piper PA-28-235 accident near Oxford, Massachusetts, April 9, 1993
On April 9, 1993 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9349W, was destroyed in an accident near Oxford, Massachusetts (Oxford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR CLIMBOUT. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1993 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Massachusetts · Oxford
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9349W · no longer on the register · serial 28-11037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TAKING OFF WITH A TAILWIND. AFTER IT BECAME AIRBORNE, THE POWER WAS HEARD TO BE REDUCED, AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ON THE RUNWAY AND RETURNED TO THE AIR. POWER WAS HEARD TO COME ON FULL AGAIN, AND THE TAKEOFF CONTINUED, WITH THE AIRPLANE DRIFTING LEFT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE, AND CLIMBING SLOWLY. AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER TREES, A WITNESS SAW THE TAIL STRIKE THE TOP OF SOME TREES AND THEN THE AIRPLANE PITCHED NOSE DOWN INTO THE TREES. THE WITNESS ALSO STATED THAT THE SOUTHERN WINDSOCK, NEAR WHERE THE PILOT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF, WAS STEADY AT 3/4 FULL, AND OCCASIONALLY FULL. THE PILOT HAD EARLIER LANDED AT THE AIRPORT AROUND NOONTIME, AND THE LANDING WAS ALSO DOWNWIND WITH THE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 10 KTS.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MA08 at 8:30 pm
- Destination: BDR Bridgeport CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,047 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 pm from ORH, 7 miles away
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.