Piper PA-24-250 N8397F

Summary

On 3 October 1994 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N8397F was involved in an accident near Montgomery, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 October 1994 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Montgomery, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Orange County (MGJ)

Coordinates

41.5208, -74.2297

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N8397F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

South Bethlehem → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC95FA001

1 person died.

was the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate terrain clearance on final approach which resulted in a tree strike. Factors were the night conditions and the failure of the pilot to use the recommended runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AS THE PILOT APPROACHED THE AIRPORT FOR A NIGHT LANDING, HE CONTACTED UNICOM. THE UNICOM OPERATOR STATED HE RADIOED THE PILOT, 'THE WINDS ARE DOWN RUNWAY 3 AT 040 DEGREES WIND DIRECTION, AT 2 KNOTS.' THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRANSMISSION. RUNWAY 3 IS EQUIPPED WITH VASI AND REIL LIGHTS. HE THEN DID AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26, WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH GLIDE PATH GUIDANCE, AND HAS A 565 FEET DISPLACED THRESHOLD. ABOUT 1475 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT NORMALLY FLEW WITH A SAFETY PILOT. WHEN INTERVIEWED, THE SAFETY PILOT REPORTED THE PILOT WAS NOT CONSIDERED 'SAFE' FOR NIGHT SOLO OPERATIONS. HE WOULD ALSO FORGET CHECKLIST ITEMS AND HAD MADE SHALLOW APPROACHES BEFORE. THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE TREE STRIKE AND DISPLACED THRESHOLD WAS 2.45 DEGREES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.