- Date
- February 19, 2002, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Argyle, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4456JPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20020219001279A
- Case key
- 54226
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 pilot's improper in-flight decision to land on a contaminated runway. A factor was the contaminated runway.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While landing on a 2,400-foot long, turf runway, the airplane traveled over a "slushy" portion of the runway and the pilot was unable to stop. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway, and came to rest in a ditch. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the runway by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that it was contaminated with ice, snow, and water.
Factual narrative
On February 19, 2002, about 1600 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N4456J, was substantially damaged during an overrun at Argyle Airport (1C3), Argyle, New York. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, Glens Falls, New York.
According to the pilot, the airplane touched down within the first 1,000 feet of runway 21, a 2,400-foot long, 100-foot wide, turf runway. However, the airplane traveled over a "slushy" portion of the runway, and the pilot was unable to stop. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway, over a snow bank, and came to rest in a 3-foot ditch. The pilot added that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Examination of the turf runway by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, revealed it was contaminated with snow, ice, and water.
The reported winds at an airport approximately 9 miles away, at 1553, were from 190 degrees at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4456J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-22864
- Airframe hours
- 4,390
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-22A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Howard Fisher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 2, 2001 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- GFL · Glens Falls, NY
- Destination
- 1C3 · Argyle, NY
- Airport
- 1C3 · Argyle Airport, runway 21, 2,400 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 780 total · 657 in this make and model · 657 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- GFL, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 463 KB 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.