Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rhinebeck, New York 12572
Tuesady, July 2, 1991 19:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKE OFF FROM A FARM FIELD THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE TOP OF A HIGH HEDGE ABOUT 1800 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TAKE OFF POINT. THE PILOT CUT THE POWER AND ELECTED TO LAND IN AN ADJOINING FIELD. THE AIRPLANE SLID ON WET GRASS, HIT A FENCE WITH THE LEFT WING, HIT ANOTHER FENCE WITH THE RIGHT WING AND TURNED 180 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO REST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DID NOT CALCULATED THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE DATA TO INSURE THAT HE HAD ENOUGH RUNWAY TO CLEAR AN OBSTACLE AT THE END OF THE FIELD, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR STRIKING HIGH HEDGES, SUBSEQUENTLY THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD AND IMPACTED WITH A FENCE. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RHINEBECK
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12572
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID POU
Elevation of weather observation facility 166
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 849
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45065
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5002F
NTSB Number NYC91LA167
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7780001
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CATSKILL TRANSPORTATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 63 HURLEY AVE
Aircraft Owner City KINGSTON
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CATSKILL TRANSPORTATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 63 HURLEY AVE
Operator City KINGSTON
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 12401
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 20N
Destination City KINGSTON
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --