Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Speculator, New York 12164
Sunday, January 1, 1989 18:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF SPECULATOR, NEW YORK AND WAS DEMOLISHED. WEATHER REPORTED AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS CLEAR SKIES. HOWEVER, AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED IT'S DESTINATION, WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AND THE PILOT DEVERTED TO GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK.DURING DESCENT IN DARKNESS, AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INACCURATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISIONS BY THE PILOT WHO INADVERTENTLY FLEW HIS AIRCRAFT FROM VFR INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHILE MAKING A DESCENT AT NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SPECULATOR
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12164
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 942
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39055
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1432D
NTSB Number NYC89LA060
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170A
Aircraft Series Identifier 170A
Aircraft Serial Number 20141
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 2127
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOUGLAS KING
Aircraft Owner Street Address HCR 2 91 DUGAL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City TUPPER LAKE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12986
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOUGLAS KING
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DUGAL ROAD
Operator City TUPPER LAKE
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 12986
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 5B7
Departure City TROY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TUPPER LAKE
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --