Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Orange County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New Hampton, New York 10958
Monday, May 9, 2011 14:48 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The two accident pilots arrived at the airport in a Piper PA-24-250 (PA24), with the intention that one of the pilots would ferry a Piper PA-28-180 (PA28) back to the departure airport. The PA28 departed first for the return flight, followed by the PA24; however, the PA24 was faster and caught up to the PA28 within 5 minutes. The PA24 approached from below and behind the PA28 and was likely not visible to the pilot of the PA28.
Witnesses near the accident site observed the airplanes flying in the same direction when they "clipped" each other. The PA28 entered an immediate right spiraling dive, while the PA24 entered an "angled nose dive" toward the ground. The PA28 was found inverted with the fuselage crushed; the outboard portion of the right wing was separated and showed damage consistent with propeller strikes to the aft wing spar and flap. The majority of the PA24 was consumed by a postimpact fire. Examination of both airplanes revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
It was not known if the accident pilots were attempting formation flight or were in communication with each other. However, 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 91.111(a) states that "no person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard." In addition, 14 CFR 91.113 stipulates that the pilot of an overtaking airplane (in this case, the PA24) “shall alter course...to pass well clear” of the overtaken airplane. The PA24 should not have passed over, under, or ahead of the PA28 unless it was well clear.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the PA24 pilot to maintain adequate clearance from the PA28 resulting in an inflight collision. Contributing to the accident was the PA24 pilot's decision to overtake the PA28.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/9/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1448 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | New Hampton |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 10958 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 412326N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0742511W |
| Event Location Airport | Orange County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MGJ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 11 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 364 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1454 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MGJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 364 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 50 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29987 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 14 2012 2:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5275L | N7757P |
| NTSB Number | ERA11FA291A | ERA11FA291B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-180 | PA-24-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-4574 | 24-2973 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 1 2010 12:00AM | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6240 | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Edward J Crump | Gary L Delia |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | BOONTON | SUSSEX |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 07005 | 07461 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Name | Edward J Crump | Gary L Delia |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | BOONTON | SUSSEX |
| Operator State | NJ | NJ |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 07005 | 07461 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| 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) | Ferry | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MGJ | MGJ |
| Departure City | Montgomery | Montgomery |
| Departure State | NY | NY |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1440 | 1440 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FWN | FWN |
| Destination City | Sussex | Sussex |
| Destination State | NJ | NJ |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 14 2012 2:18PM | Jun 14 2012 2:17PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 03 | N/A |
| Runway Length | 5002 | -- |
| Runway Width | 100 | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |