Piper PA-28-140 accident near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, February 28, 1999
On February 28, 1999 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8790N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (Lakes Region Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to use a preflight briefing service, resulting in an in flight encounter with snow, and subsequent precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1999 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wolfeboro, New Hampshire · Lakes Region Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8790N · no longer on the register · serial 2825630
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing from a Flight Service Station before departing Alton Bay Seaplane Base, Alton Bay, New Hampshire. While en route to Laconia, New Hampshire, he encountered snow and diverted to Lakes Region Airport, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The pilot landed approximately 1,250 feet beyond the approach end of Runway 30, a 2,540 foot long runway. The airplane bounced several times, overran the runway, and struck a pile of dirt approximately 50 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The pilot was not instrument rated.
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
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,179 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 1998; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: B18 Alton Bay NH at 8:00 pm
- Destination: LCI Laconia NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,540 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 1.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; ovct at 100 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from LCI, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.