On January 31, 1986, a Beech E55 (registration N6641A) operated by Garson R. Fields was involved in an aviation accident near Sunderland, MA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Witnesses observed the aircraft descending vertically in a flat spin before impacting flat terrain. The airframe was largely destroyed by post-impact fire, with no pre-impact mechanical failures found.
What happened
The accident occurred approximately 45 minutes after takeoff during a local proficiency flight. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft descend vertically in a flat spin until it impacted open, flat terrain. Following the impact, most of the airframe was demolished by fire.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed that the left propeller was found in a feathered position, indicating that the engine had been shut down before impact. However, no pre-impact part failure or malfunction of the airframe or engine was found during the investigation.
Findings
The lack of mechanical failure findings suggests the event was likely due to pilot error or loss of control, though the specific cause remains unconfirmed by physical evidence.