Piper PA-28-180 and Taylorcraft BC 12D accident near Pawtucket, Rhode Island, April 7, 1993
On April 7, 1993 at about 4:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28-180 (N3866R) and Taylorcraft BC 12D (N43645), were involved in the same accident near Pawtucket, Rhode Island (North Central State airport). 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 FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID, RESULTING IN A GROUND COLLISION BETWEEN THEIR TWO AIRPLANES.
THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID, RESULTING IN A GROUND COLLISION BETWEEN THEIR TWO AIRPLANES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1993 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island · North Central State
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3866R · registry record · serial 28-5845
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Taylorcraft BC 12D · all BC 12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N43645 · registry record · serial 7304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
TAYLORCRAFT, N43645, HAD LANDED ON RUNWAY 05. PIPER PA-28-180, N3866R, HAD LANDED ON RUNWAY 15. THE TAYLORCRAFT HAD COMPLETED ITS LANDING ROLL AND WAS AT TAXI SPEED AS IT ENTERED THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 05 AND 15. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND TURN THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID HITTING THE TAYLORCRAFT, BUT HIS AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TAYLORCRAFT IN THE TAIL WITH THE PROPELLER AND LEFT WING, WHILE BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE IN THE INTERSECTIONS. THE TAYLORCRAFT PILOT SAID HE WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR ABOUT ONE HALF HOUR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, PRACTICING LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS. THE PIPER PILOT HAD FLOWN INTO THE AIRPORT PATTERN FROM ANOTHER AIRPORT. BOTH PILOTS SAID THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTIONS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE WEATHER REPORTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM A DIRECTION THAT EITHER RUNWAY COULD HAVE BEEN USED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT NO LANDING RUNWAY INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE BY RADIO BECAUSE THE UNICOM WAS NOT IN USE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Taylorcraft BC 12D final · quoted from the NTSB record
TAYLORCRAFT, N43645, HAD LANDED ON RUNWAY 05. PIPER PA-28-180, N3866R, HAD LANDED ON RUNWAY 15. THE TAYLORCRAFT HAD COMPLETED ITS LANDING ROLL AND WAS AT TAXI SPEED AS IT ENTERED THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 05 AND 15. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND TURN THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID HITTING THE TAYLORCRAFT, BUT HIS AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TAYLORCRAFT IN THE TAIL WITH THE PROPELLER AND LEFT WING, WHILE BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE IN THE INTERSECTIONS. THE TAYLORCRAFT PILOT SAID HE WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR ABOUT ONE HALF HOUR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, PRACTICING LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS. THE PIPER PILOT HAD FLOWN INTO THE AIRPORT PATTERN FROM ANOTHER AIRPORT. BOTH PILOTS SAID THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTIONS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE WEATHER REPORTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM A DIRECTION THAT EITHER RUNWAY COULD HAVE BEEN USED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT NO LANDING RUNWAY INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE BY RADIO BECAUSE THE UNICOM WAS NOT IN USE.
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 for the Piper PA-28-180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 343 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 346 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,632 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1992; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORH Worchester MA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: SFZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,210 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Taylorcraft BC 12D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 358 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 312 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,103 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1992; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFZ at 4:00 pm
- Destination: SFZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.