Frankfort-Highland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frankfort, New York
Sunday, December 29, 1985 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT DIVERTED TO FRANKFORT-HIGHLAND EN ROUTE FROM HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION OF UTICA, NY, BECAUSE OF IFR WEATHER AT UTICA. THE PLT STATED THAT AS THE NOSE WHEEL SETTLED TO THE RWY DURING TOUCHDOWN, IT DUG INTO SNOW ON THE RWY AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH 1 1/2 FEET OF SNOW AT THE POINT WHERE TOUCHDOWN WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE REMAINING RWY SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH APRX 6 INCHES OF SNOW.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRANKFORT
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FRANKFORT-HIGHLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1300
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2801
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 30 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30544
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9949W
NTSB Number NYC86LA056
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-23494
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRIAN C. ALESSI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 507 W. CEDAR STREET
Aircraft Owner City ROME
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13440
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 ALB
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UCA
Destination City UTICA
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --