Piper PA-34-200T accident near Hancock, Massachusetts, August 29, 1997
On August 29, 1997 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N40AB, was destroyed in an accident near Hancock, Massachusetts (Pittsfield Municipal). It was a business 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 adequate terrain clearance and the proper altitude. Contributing was mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1997 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Hancock, Massachusetts · Pittsfield Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N40AB · registry record · serial 347570316
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a 4 hour night cross-country flight, the airplane was observed on radar at 7,500 feet, 50 miles west of the pilot's destination. It was on a ground track of 109 degrees, at a ground speed of 167 knots. The ATC facility was not in communication with or expecting the airplane. The airplane began a descent, and maintained a 109 degree ground track, at 169 knots. The last radar sweep displayed the airplane level at 1,900 feet MSL, on the track of 109 degrees, at 149 knots. The airplane struck a 2,100 foot ridge line in level flight, at 1,800 feet MSL. The destination airport was 105 degrees and 4.2 miles east of the impact site. The cloud coverage was about 2,200 feet MSL. Examination revealed no preimpact failure of the airframe or engines. The pilot had a recent history of high blood sugar and was on medication to control it. There was no record of a flight plan or flight following with air traffic control.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,930 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2,780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 1997; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CGX Chicago IL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: PSF Pittsfield MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:05 am from PSF, 4 miles away
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.