# NTSB BFO93LA031: Piper PA-32-260, N999HF, Hudson, NY, February 20, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 19, 1993, 20:00 local (Feb 20, 1993, 01:00 UTC)
- Place: Hudson, NY
- Coordinates: 42.249553, -73.779571 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2496&lon=-73.7796&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 25, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11902
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93LA031
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11902/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93LA031

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE.  THE SNOWBANK WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor)

## Analysis

IT WAS A DARK NIGHT WHEN THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 3.  HE STATED THAT HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE CENTERLINE, AND HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AS THE AIRPLANES' SPEED DECREASED.  A FEW SECONDS LATER HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SWERVE, SO HE STOPPED ALL BRAKING FOR A MOMENT THEN HE REAPPLIED THE BRAKES WITH MORE PRESSURE IN THE RIGHT BRAKE AND RUDDER, AS THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS ON A ROUGH ICY AREA OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.  HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE STRAIGHTENED OUT AND WAS STARTING TO VEER TOWARDS THE CENTERLINE; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A SNOWBANK ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN TO THE LEFT INTO A PILE OF SNOW COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE NOSE GEAR.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N999HF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N999HF-1995-10-03), registration cancelled 1995-10-03, S/N 32663 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-663
- Airframe hours: 3174
- Engines: LYCOMING O-540-04B5 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Stanley Rothman
- Registered owner: Gerald Gorman
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 19, 1992, 28 hours before
- Departed: 44N, MILLBROOK, NY
- Airport: 1B1, Columbia County, runway 3, 5,001 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,192 total, 50 in this make and model, 1,172 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 12 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ALB, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19930219003079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930219003079A), Feb 19, 1993: Piper PA32260, Hudson, NY, Substantial damage. Slid into a snowbank on edge of ice covered runway. CTAF failed to advise pilot of runway conditions.

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.

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