Event NYC83FA091

Factual narrative

INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT AND PASSENGER ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1820 EST, REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE AND WHEN THAT CLEARANCE COULD NOT BE APPROVED REQUESTED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. ATTEMPTS TO ACTIVATE THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN WERE UNSUCCESSUFUL DUE TO COMMUNICATION LINE PROBLEMS. THE PLT SUBSEQUENTLY DECIDED NOT TO FILE THE FLIGHT PLAN AND STATED THAT BASED ON FORECASTS OF IMPROVING CONDITIONS TO THE WEST AND VISIBILITIES OF THREE TO FIVE MILES FROMTHE TOWER SHE PLANNED TO PROCEED VFR FOLLOWING THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TO THE SOUTH AND THEN TO THE WEST. THE PLT STATED SHE FLEW BELOW THE CLOUD BASES, WHICH SHE ESTIMATED WERE AT 800 TO 900 FEET. PRIOR TO REACHING INTERSTATE 22 AND WHILE IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT THE ACFT UNEXPECTEDLY IMPACTED TREES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12