Gardiner Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gardiner, New York 12525
Sunday, August 31, 1997 12:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the final approach, the pilot was too high and fast, but continued his attempt to land on the 2,400 foot long runway utilizing full flaps. Witnesses stated that the airplane touched down at mid-field, and they did not hear the power being added to the engine until the airplane was near the end of the runway. The airplane became airborne and impacted a wire at the departure end of the runway. The right wing clipped a tree, and the airplane cart-wheeled to the ground. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the engine or airframe.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to initiate a go-around. A related factor is the pilot's misjudgment of speed and altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GARDINER
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12525
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GARDINER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5NY5
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 340
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID SWF
Elevation of weather observation facility 491
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1774
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N557FL
NTSB Number IAD97LA115
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7125397
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 5441
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS TRVAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1470 1ST AVE APT 2B
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10021
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HWV
Departure City SHIRLEY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 5NY5
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 27
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --