Bedford Minuteman
Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Pilot, passenger walk away from runway crash at Hanscom

By Peter Martin / Staff Writer

A single engine A-36 Bonanza airplane crashed at Hanscom Field last week.
The pilot and passenger were transported to the hospital where the pilot
received treatment for minor injuries and was released.

The small single propeller plane took off from runway 29 Wednesday, April
28, at 3:03 p.m., said Phil Orlandella, a Massport spokesman. It reported a
loss of power at approximate altitude of 500 feet, just as it reached the
end of the runway, said Paul Cox, an air safety investigator for the
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The aircraft banked left, said Orlandella, crossed runway 523, crashed down
on a strip of grass and slid to a stop in between two parked corporate jets.

The NTSB is conducting an investigation with the Federation Aviation
Administration on the cause of engine failure. The engine is manufactured by
Continental Motors but Cox cautioned that a complete study of maintenance
records and other factors must be considered before drawing any conclusions.

The NTSB will post its preliminary report next week, said Cox, and it can be
viewed on its Web site at www.ntsb.gov. The complete investigation and
report will take eight months to a years, said Cox.

An airplane crash is considered an accident, as opposed to an incident, when
there is "serious injury or substantial damage to the aircraft, excluding
damage to the landing gear and propellers," said Cox.

The last plane crash in Bedford occurred the night of Jan. 24. An Areo
Commander experienced "catastrophic engine failure" at several thousand feet
and crashed into the woods off Dudley Road. The plane was consumed by flames
and the two pilots escaped with minor injuries. That full report is still
pending, said Cox.

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