Beech A100 accident near Williamstown, Massachusetts, August 4, 1994
On August 4, 1994 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Beech A100, registered N7GA, was destroyed in an accident near Williamstown, Massachusetts (Hariman-And-West airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain minimum control speed after an undetermined loss of engine power, which resulted in an inadvertent stall at too low of an altitude to allow recovery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1994 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Williamstown, Massachusetts · Hariman-And-West
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A100 · all A100s on the register
- Registration
- N7GA · no longer on the register · serial B-119
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD UNDER GONE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE FOR SLOW ACCELERATION ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THE FUEL CONTROLS WERE CHANGED FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS RELEASED BACK TO THE PILOT FOR SERVICE, AND HE DEPARTED FOR HIS HOME STATION. SEVERAL WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE AFTER TAKEOFF AT A LOW ALTITUDE, AND AT A SLOW SPEED. THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT, AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. TWO WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE PASS BY THEM AT A LOW ALTITUDE, AND WROTE, '...AT THIS POINT WE COULD SEE THE LEFT (PORT) ENGINE PROPELLER WAS TURNING VERY SLOWLY. YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE THE INDIVIDUAL BLADES OF THE PROPELLER TURNING.' A COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY OF BOTH ENGINES, REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES OTHER THAN IMPACT, AND POST IMPACT FIRE DAMAGE. DISASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT PROPELLER INDICATED THAT THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE AT OR NEAR FEATHER AT IMPACT. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 106 FLIGHT HOURS IN BEECH A100 AIRCRAFT, ALL IN THE 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND 56 HOURS IN THE 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,200 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,426 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 4, 1994; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-6-A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 4,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N7GA 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.