NTSB NYC91LA061 — 1991-01-19 · SHERBURNE, Vermont, United States

N777CL has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CIRRUS DESIGN SR22, built 2019), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N777CL Piper PA-28R-200 Serious

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS WITH AN AIRPLANE NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND CONTACT WITH TREES IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOTS DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR MODERATE ICING, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE AIRPLANE'S LIMITATIONS.

Factual narrative

THE CFI RECEIVED A PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FORECAST MODERATE ICING CONDITIONS. HE TOOK OFF WITH A STUDENT, IN AN AIRPLANE EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED PITOT TUBE, BUT NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS. 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATIONS. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHEN HE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS. IN A POST CRASH INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED AUTOMATICALLY AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THEM, AND THIS CONDITION CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE STUDENT PILOT ON BOARD SAID THE CFI SUCCESSFULLY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND THE AIRPLANE STILL COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_NYC91LA061.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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