# Accident 19891215057299A: Piper PA31350, Cairo, NY, December 15, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 15, 1989, 17:30 local time
- Place: Cairo, NY
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.2993° N, 73.9997° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2993&lon=-73.9997&mi=10
- Aircraft: N45CH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N45CH-1992-10-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520J
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 6
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 100 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC90FA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90FA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891215057299A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STRUCK MOUNTAINSIDE IN AREA OF LOW CLOUDS AND HEAVY SNOW AT NIGHT. REVENUE FLIGHT VIOLATION FAR 135.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC90FA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90FA039), Dec 15, 1989: Piper PA-31-350 (N45CH), Cairo Township, NY, destroyed, 6 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO THE KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS FAILURE TO SELECT AN ALTITUDE THAT WOULD PROVIDE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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