NYC87FA127

Factual narrative

THE PIPER PA-28-180 WAS MAKING AN NDB INSTRUMENT APPROACH UNDER INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT NIGHT. THE PILOT MANUEVERED THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE AIRPORT SEVERAL TIMES IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO ACQUIRE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY, LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED LEVEL TERRAIN NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT FAILED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE. A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE NOISE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NO LONGER HEARD, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND AT THE EDGE OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASED AT THE AIRPORT WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12