Beech 77 accident near Littleton, Massachusetts, October 23, 1993
On October 23, 1993 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N67197, was substantially damaged in an accident near Littleton, Massachusetts. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT DECISION IN THE SELECTION OF THE SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AREA, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO AROUND WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1993 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Littleton, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N67197 · no longer on the register · serial WA-92
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AT 2500 FEET. THE STUDENT BEGAN TO SPIRAL DOWN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SELECTED AREA. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A STEEP DESCENT WHEN THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTICED A HILL BETWEEN THE AIRPLANE AND THE SELECTED AREA. THE INSTRUCTOR ADDED FULL POWER AND LEVELED THE WINGS IN AN ATTEMPT TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR STALL SPEED WHEN IT STRUCK TREES, NOSED OVER AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY ON THE ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE HILL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 3,150 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,547 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1993; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from BED, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.