Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gaylordsville, Connecticut 06755
Friday, September 11, 1987 21:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-28-236 WAS CRUISING AT 6000 FT AT NIGHT WHEN HE REPORTED A FAILURE OF HIS VACUUM PUMP FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF HIS ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND DIRECTIONAL GYRO. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A 360 DEGREE TURN ON THE RADAR SCOPE. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ISSUED 'NO GYRO' RADAR VECTORS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FROM 6000 FT TO 5000 FT IN PREPARATION FOR AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE DESCENT CLEARANCE AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. IT WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER 1/2 MILE WITH BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOTS LOG BOOK INDICATED HE MET THE RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED BY 14 CFR 61.57. FOG WAS REPORTED IN THE AREA AND THE CLOSEST RECORDED WEATHER INDICATED A 900 FT CEILING WITH FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2110
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GAYLORDSVILLE
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06755
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2045 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID DXR
Elevation of weather observation facility 457
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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 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) 2020
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35582
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2186B
NTSB Number NYC87FA250
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7911011
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Mar 11 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 107
Airframe Hours 1250
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRIPLE R. INDUSTRIES
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 9W
Aircraft Owner City MILTON
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12547
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 HYA
Departure City HYANNIS
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code POU
Destination City POUGHKEEPSIE
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 --