Danbury Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Salem, New York 10560
Monday, December 30, 1991 7:48 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON A PERSONAL TRIP THAT HE HAD FLOWN MANY TIMES. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, ADDITIONAL FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AS HE NEARED HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT LEFT ONE OF HIS ENGINES IN A FUEL CROSSFEED CONFIGURATION CASUING A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE AIRPLANE HAS THE CAPABILITY TO CLIMB AT MORE THAN 500 FEET PER MINUTE USING ONLY ONE ENGINE. AFTER DECLARING HIS EMERGENCY TO THE CONTROL TOWER, RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING 90 DEGREES TO THE ILS FINAL APPROACH COURSE AT VERY LOW ALTITUDE BANKING SIDE TO SIDE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A 70 DEGREE NOSE DOWN POSITION. HEAVY SNOW HAD STARTED FALLING JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED MUCH OF THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A DISTRACTION CAUSED BY A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS ADVERSE WEATHER NEAR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 748
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NORTH SALEM
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10560
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DANBURY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DXR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 265
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2096
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46592
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36362
NTSB Number BFO92FA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-60-601P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-60-601P
Aircraft Serial Number 07878063400
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 19 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1624
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ENGLISH AERO SERVICES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 989
Aircraft Owner City CLARKSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23927
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ENGLISH AERO SERVICES, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 989
Operator City CLARKSVILLE
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23927
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 W63
Departure City CLARKSVILLE
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 530
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
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 --