Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, November 2, 1996
On November 2, 1996 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N1216T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norwood, Massachusetts (Norwood Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to perform a go-around, when an animal obstructed the runway; and his failure to maintain clearance from an obstruction (VASI). Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, an animal (deer) on the runway, and the proximity of the obstruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1996 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts · Norwood Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1216T · registry record · serial 28R7235238
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning to his departure airport at 2100, and flew the localizer approach to runway 35. The control tower was closed, and the ATIS stated that the pilot controlled lighting (PCL) was in operation. The pilot stated that he was not able to activate the PCL, and performed a go-around. During the go-around, he was able to activate the runway lights, which included the runway visual approach slope indicator (VASI) for runway 35. During his second approach, while on final, he reduced power at 100 feet and then observed a deer on the runway. The pilot veered the airplane left to avoid the deer, and the airplane touched down on the grass parallel to the runway. After a 300 foot ground roll, the airplane struck the VASI.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 740 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,257 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1996; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAG Niagara Falls NY at 11:25 pm
- Destination: OWD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 4,007 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from BOS, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 NYC97LA010.