Amateur-built CORBIN BABY ACE accident near Palmer, Massachusetts, June 24, 1995
On June 24, 1995 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built CORBIN BABY ACE, registered N88856, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Massachusetts (Palmer Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
contamination in the carburetor which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power and forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1995 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Massachusetts · Palmer Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CORBIN BABY ACE CORBIN BAB
- Registration
- N88856 · no longer on the register · serial NP-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had taken off and reached an altitude of approximately 15 feet above the runway. The pilot stated, 'The engine stopped abruptly and completely.' The airplane then 'dropped in rather hard' with the left main landing gear on soft ground and the right main on runway pavement, resulting in a ground loop to the left. The airplane then went down an embankment, and nosed over. An examination of the carburetor revealed that there were contaminants in the bowl and the needle valve tip was worn. The airplane was operated 0.5 hours since the last annual inspection.
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: 934 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 867 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.