What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 14, 2006, at approximately 1600 EST, the subject aircraft was being repositioned from greenwood lake airport (4N1), west milford, NJ to Randall Airport (06N), Middletown, NY for the purpose of having the annual inspection performed. The pilot refers to this in his statement as a ferry flight although aircraft was not operating under a special flight permit and was airworthy. On final approach to runway 26 at 06N the pilot stated that he, confronted with sun glare, misjudged his descent rate and alignment and struck trees with the aircraft's right wing causing the aircraft to roll over and impact the ground inverted at approximately a 45 degree angle. The aircraft came to rest 1335 feet from the end of runway 26 and 480 feet to the right of the extended centerline. No fire occurred and the pilot escaped with only minor injuries. Pilot statement: this was a ferry flight from greenwood lake airport (4N1) to Randall Airport (06N) on dec. 14, 2006 in Cessna 172 N8260X, starting about 330 pm EST of about 22 sm. Randall Airport was visible from 5 to 7 miles out in haze. The wind favored runway 26. The downwind and base legs were normal slowing to 70 mph with 20 degrees flap. Turning on to final a combination of hazy visibility, a crazed windshield and sun glare resulted in misjudgement of descent rate and alignment. Trees appeared off the right wing and before I could react the right wing hit a tree, veered right, rolled over and went down on an angle between 30 and 45 degrees, inverted. There was no fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 14, 2006, AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 EST, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS BEING REPOSITIONED FROM GREENWOOD LAKE AIRPORT (4N1), WEST MILFORD, NJ TO RANDALL AIRPORT (06N), MIDDLETOWN, NY FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION PERFORMED. THE PILOT REFERS TO THIS IN HIS STATEMENT AS A FERRY FLIGHT ALTHOUGH AIRCRAFT WAS NOT OPERATING UNDER A SPECIAL FLIGHT PERMIT AND WAS AIRWORTHY. ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26 AT 06N THE PILOT STATED THAT HE, CONFRONTED WITH SUN GLARE, MISJUDGED HIS DESCENT RATE AND ALIGNMENT AND STRUCK TREES WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL OVER AND IMPACT THE GROUND INVERTED AT APPROXIMATELY A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 1335 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 26 AND 480 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE. NO FIRE OCCURRED AND THE PILOT ESCAPED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. PILOT STATEMENT: THIS WAS A FERRY FLIGHT FROM GREENWOOD LAKE AIRPORT (4N1) TO RANDALL AIRPORT (06N) ON DEC. 14, 2006 IN CESSNA 172 N8260X, STARTING ABOUT 330 PM EST OF ABOUT 22 SM. RANDALL AIRPORT WAS VISIBLE FROM 5 TO 7 MILES OUT IN HAZE. THE WIND FAVORED RUNWAY 26. THE DOWNWIND AND BASE LEGS WERE NORMAL SLOWING TO 70 MPH WITH 20 DEGREES FLAP. TURNING ON TO FINAL A COMBINATION OF HAZY VISIBILITY, A CRAZED WINDSHIELD AND SUN GLARE RESULTED IN MISJUDGEMENT OF DESCENT RATE AND ALIGNMENT. TREES APPEARED OFF THE RIGHT WING AND BEFORE I COULD REACT THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE, VEERED RIGHT, ROLLED OVER AND WENT DOWN ON AN ANGLE BETWEEN 30 AND 45 DEGREES, INVERTED. THERE WAS NO FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.