Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Montauk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Montauk, New York 11954
Thursday, November 6, 2003 20:20 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, he approached the airport area and attempted to turn on the pilot controlled lighting system at the airport. After several attempts, the only airport lighting the pilot observed illuminated was the windsock. The pilot continued the approach to the airport, and made a "low pass" over the runway to scare any deer away. The pilot then entered a left downwind for the runway, and elected to land without runway lights, due to ambient lighting. After the airplane touched down on the runway, during the rollout, the pilot observed deer crossing in front of the airplane from left to right. The pilot turned the airplane to the left to avoid the deer; however, the left wing struck a small stand of trees, substantially damaging the wing. According to the airport manager, the lighting system was tested the following morning, and all lighting except the runway lights illuminated. On following day, the lighting was tested again, and all lights illuminated. The manager added that it had rained the day before the accident, and the lighting control box was wet when examined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's loss of control after performing an evasive maneuver to avoid a deer crossing the unlit runway, which resulted in a collision with trees. Factors related to the accident were the nighttime conditions, the inoperative runway lighting system, and the deer crossing the runway.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/6/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2020 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Montauk |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 11954 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410436N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0715513W |
| Event Location Airport | Montauk Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MTP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 10 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2054 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17040 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 7 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2004 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Farmingdale, NY |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N80852 |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA026 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-181 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8090081 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | Apr 18 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4423 |
| Airframe Hours | 4511 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Martin Pederson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Montauk |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 11954 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | LBJ |
| Departure City | Linden |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1940 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MTP |
| Destination City | Montauk |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - roll |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 8 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 3258 |
| Runway Width | 85 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |