- Date
- May 30, 2013, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ellenville, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5715FPiper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130530009419A
- Case key
- 87049
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's inadequate preflight planning and failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The student pilot reported that she was returning to her home airport after being discontinued from her private pilot practical test. Upon departure and initial climb, she maneuvered the airplane into a valley and proceeded to attempt a climb over a ridge that was approximately 1,500 feet higher than the departure airport elevation. The student pilot stated that she knew as soon as she flew into the valley, the airplane was not going to be able to climb over the ridge, and that she was unable to turn the airplane around. She added that she performed a "controlled" crash into the trees. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and to both wings. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that she was returning to her home airport after being discontinued from her private pilot practical test. Upon departure and initial climb, she maneuvered the airplane into a valley and proceeded to attempt a climb over a ridge that was approximately 1,500 feet higher than the departure airport elevation. The student pilot stated that she knew as soon as she flew into the valley, the airplane was not going to be able to climb over the ridge, and that she was unable to turn the airplane around. She added that she performed a "controlled" crash into the trees. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and to both wings. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5715F
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-24927
- Airframe hours
- 4,301
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 3, 2013 · 72 hours before
- Departed
- N89 · Ellenvile, NY
- Destination
- MGJ · Montgomery, NY
- Airport
- N89 · Joseph Y Resnick Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 30, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 70 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- MGJ, 12 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 18, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.