Amateur-built RV3 accident near Hatfield, Massachusetts, October 15, 1993
On October 15, 1993 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RV3, registered N669CP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hatfield, Massachusetts (Hatfield/Pilgrim). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudged his distance and altitude which resulted in an undershoot of the runway. A factor was his delay in intiating a go around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1993 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hatfield, Massachusetts · Hatfield/Pilgrim
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV3
- Registration
- N669CP · registry record · serial 11081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 29 WHEN HE LANDED ABOUT 35 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DIRT BANK. THE PILOT REPORTED THE APPROACH WAS ROUTINE UNTIL SHORT FINAL, WHEN THE AIRPORT AND TREES 'STARTED TO' BOIL UNDER ME AND I ADDED POWER TO 'MAINTAIN ALTITUDE BUT THE (DIRT BANK) CAME UP...' THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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
- Flight time: 2,719 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,577 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1993; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,200 ft by 140 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC94LA010.