Fairbank Farms Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ashville, New York 14710
Friday, November 10, 1995 19:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was on final approach at night to runway 15 at a private airport. During the approach, the airplane struck a tall tree about 900 feet prior to the approach end of the runway. The airplane then struck additional trees before coming to rest, inverted in a reservoir, abeam of the approach end of the runway. Witnesses reported that the engines sounded normal. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the airplane or engines. There was a gusty crosswind from the right and rain was starting to fall. The runway was not equipped with a visual or electronic glideslope.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance to the runway during an approach to land. Factors relating to the accident were: the night and adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ASHVILLE
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14710
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FAIRBANK FARMS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NY89
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1350
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1825 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 63
Weather Observation Facility ID JHW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1724
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1911
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 45
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62620
NTSB Number NYC96FA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7654092
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 5921
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FAIRBANK FARMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City ASHVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N70
Departure City PERKASIE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NY89
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --