| Crash location | 41.836944°N, 71.022500°W |
| Nearest city | Berkley, MA
41.833435°N, 71.082822°W 3.1 miles away |
| Tail number | N3662E |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 17 Oct 2011 |
| Aircraft type | American Champion Aircraft 7AC |
| Additional details: | None |
According to police officers who responded to the accident site, the pilot reported encountering solar glare during landing on runway 27. The airplane impacted a tree on the right edge of the approach end of runway 27, then impacted the ground and came to rest inverted about 140 feet from the tree contact location. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, found no evidence of mechanical malfunction or anomalies with the airplane. The inspector reported damage to the engine firewall, fuselage, and right wing. Despite several attempts to contact the pilot, no statement could be obtained, and the pilot did not complete the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form, 6120.1. According to U.S. Naval Observatory sun and moon data for the day of the accident, sunset occurred at 1800, approximately 45 minutes after the accident.
The pilot did not maintain clearance from a tree during the final approach in solar glare conditions.