Piper PA-24-180 accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, June 10, 1998
On June 10, 1998 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N6977P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts (Taunton 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a delayed decision by the pilot to abort the takeoff, which resulted in an overrun. A factor was false reading from the airspeed indicator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1998 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts · Taunton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6977P · no longer on the register · serial PA-24-2120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, he glanced at the airspeed, and saw that it was still indicating zero although the airplane was accelerating. He said he closed the throttle, and applied brakes. The airplane departed the end of the 1,550 feet long turf/gravel runway, and went down an embankment. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the pitot tube, which was located under the left wing was missing. A search of the area including the taxi route of the airplane for departure, and the accident site failed to locate the pilot tube. A witness who observed the takeoff reported that at mid-field, the airplane appeared slower than normal, and he did not hear a power reduction until the airplane has used 3/4 of the available runway.
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: 1,797 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,797 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1997; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-36-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TAN at 4:45 pm
- Destination: OWD Norwood MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,550 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from TAN
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.
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.