Montauk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montauk, New York 11954
Tuesady, July 31, 2007 11:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Following an uneventful flight, the pilot approached the destination airport. While turning on to the final leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot saw an airplane pulling out from the apron and onto the runway. The pilot elected to make a 360-degree right turn in order to provide additional space between himself and the other airplane. He then continued the approach, but "came in too high and therefore floated too far along the runway." After touching down once, the airplane "ballooned," then contacted the runway again "hard." With insufficient runway remaining, the pilot decided to go-around. As the airplane accelerated, the pilot turned the airplane to the left to avoid striking the trees ahead of him; however, the left main landing gear struck one of the trees, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delayed decision to abort the landing, which resulted in an impact with a tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/2007
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Montauk
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11954
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410435N
Event Location Longitude 0715514W
Event Location Airport Montauk Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MTK
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID GON
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.91
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) 22270
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2007 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Farmingdale FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N284HP
NTSB Number NYC07CA179
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
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 2843372
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Archer HP LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Danvers
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BVY
Departure City Beverly
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MTP
Destination City Montauk
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 4 2007 2:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 3481
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --