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NYC91FA174

1991-07-07 · COLUMBIA, Connecticut, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 5BD

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE DECISION OF THE PILOT TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPEREINCE, HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY, AND HIS INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OF N43ER DID NOT RECEIVE A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THERE WAS DENSE FOG THROUGHOUT THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. N43ER WAS HEARD FLYING OVER SEVERAL HOMES AT A LOW ALTITUDE JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL WITH NO MALFUNCTIONS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. HE HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 169 HOURS, WITH 8.5 HOURS AT NIGHT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_NYC91FA174.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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