Westchester County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Plains, New York 10604
Sunday, April 27, 2008 23:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on the instrument landing system (ILS) approach, the pilot of a Cessna 172F, acquired the runway visually. About 3 miles from the runway, he closed his flight plan and continued the visual descent to the runway. The pilot stated he could not see the four-light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) and he failed to monitor his descent path. The airplane descended below the glideslope, impacted the approach lights, and then the localizer antenna. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted prior to the runway threshold. The pilot reported no mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the accident. During the impact, the airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glide path during the approach.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2350
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City White Plains
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10604
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410402N
Event Location Longitude 0734227W
Event Location Airport Westchester County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HPN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
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) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HPN
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23658
NTSB Notification Source Farmingdale FAA/FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 28 2008 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Farmingdale FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5382R
NTSB Number NYC08CA170
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17252917
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name M & M Aircraft
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Alexandria
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Charles Taylor
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Chicago
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 60610
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 DSV
Departure City Dansville
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HPN
Destination City White Plains
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2008 9:03PM
User who most recently changed record grer
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --