On October 2, 1990, a Cessna 172P (registration N98438) operated by Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Gorham, NH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND PILOT FATIGUE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An airplane being ferried to Europe struck Mount Washington at 5,500 feet MSL while en route from Syracuse to Bangor. A witness reported seeing lights and a fireball; the pilot had been awake for 22 hours.
Accident Overview
An airplane on a ferry flight to Europe struck Mount Washington during a night cruise at 5,500 feet mean sea level (MSL). The accident occurred while the airplane was following a great circle route between Syracuse, New York, and Bangor, Maine. The summit of Mount Washington was obscured at the time.
Flight Details
The airplane was equipped with an autopilot and a Loran C navigation system. According to the manufacturer of the Loran C unit, the airplane was within half a mile of its intended course and on the correct heading at the moment of impact.
Witness Observations
A witness located approximately seven miles from the mountain reported seeing the lights of the airplane and a fireball resulting from the impact.
Pilot Information
The pilot had been awake for 22 hours when the accident occurred.