Aerospatiale TB-21 accident near Lebanon, New Hampshire, December 2, 1993
On December 2, 1993 at about 10:28 pm local time, a Aerospatiale TB-21, registered N28163, was destroyed in an accident near Lebanon, New Hampshire (Lebanon airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance which resulted in an inflight collision with the terrain. A factor was a dark night condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1993 · about 10:28 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, New Hampshire · Lebanon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale TB-21
- Registration
- N28163 · no longer on the register · serial 1123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A HILL, ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT (LEB). THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 250 FEET ABOVE THE AIRPORT ELEVATION. THE PILOT WAS ON A CLEARANCE, IN PART, TO CLIMB TO 6000 FEET; HE WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE LEB TOWER CONTROLLER. THE CONTROLLER REPORTED HE NOTICED THE AIRPLANE HAD TURNED TOO FAR LEFT AFTER TAKEOFF AND IT WAS HEADED TOWARD A HILL. HE ASKED THE PILOT IF HAD HAD THE HILL IN SIGHT, AND THE PILOT RESPONDED 'SAY AGAIN.' THE SURVIVING PASSENGER REPORTED HE OVERHEARD THE CONTROLLER CALLING THE PILOT TO ALERT HIM OF THE HILL AND THEREAFTER THE COLLISION OCCURRED. A SECOND PILOT WAS ABOARD, AS A SAFETY PILOT; HE WAS AN INSTRUMENT RATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. ALTHOUGH BOTH PILOTS HAD PREVIOUSLY DEPARTED THE AIRPORT SEVERAL TIMES, ACCORDING TO THEIR LOGBOOKS, THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THEIR FIRST NIGHT DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE DEPARTURE PROCEDURE FOR THE AIRPORT, IN PART STATES, '...CLIMB VISUALLY OVER AIRPORT, TO CROSS THE AIRPORT AT OR ABOVE 1500 FEET, THEN PROCEED ON COURSE.'
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: 434 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 331 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 461 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1992; 311 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,086 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AB1A0 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CGF Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from LEB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N28163 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.