Piper PA-28-140 N95156

Summary

On 31 December 2008 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N95156 was involved in an accident near Pittstown, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 December 2008 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pittstown, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Alexandria Airport (N85)

Coordinates

40.5919, -75.0050

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N95156

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pittstown → Pittstown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA09FA116

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from trees during the night landing approach and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and the flight instructor were performing a training flight toward the pilot's instrument rating and the pilot was attempting to regain night currency. After 15 minutes of flying, the pilot returned to the departure airport, which was also where the flight instructor was based. The pilot flew a practice instrument approach before entering the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing and recalled being about 100 feet below the published traffic pattern altitude. Though the pilot could only recall turning onto the base leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane struck trees aligned with the final approach course about 1/4 mile from the runway threshold. The trees in the vicinity of the accident site are about 150 feet tall. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical deficiencies, nor were any reported by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.