# NTSB NYC03LA064: Piper PA-22/20-150, N7342D, South Woodstock, CT, March 8, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 8, 2003, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: South Woodstock, CT - Coordinates: 41.254722, -71.952774 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2547&lon=-71.9528&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56607 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA064 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56607/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA064 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control ## 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) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank ## Analysis A private pilot landed his tail wheel configured airplane on the runway. The airplane subsequently drifted left into a snowbank, and nosed over. The private pilot reported the right main wheel hydroplaned on the runway, while the left wheel grabbed and the airplane turned left. A pilot rated passenger reported he did not remember feeling a deceleration like braking. He thought the airplane slowly drifted left and contacted the snow bank on the side. The private pilot also reported that the runway which was 75 feet wide had only been plowed to a width of about 50 feet. ## Factual narrative On March 8, 2003, about 1300 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-22/20-150, N7342D, was substantially damaged while landing at Woodstock Airport, South Woodstock, Connecticut. The private pilot/owner and pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. No flight plan had been filed for the local flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot reported that his airplane was originally delivered as a PA-22-150, with tricycle landing gear. It was subsequently modified to a tailwheel configuration and was designated a PA-22/20-150. The private pilot had been performing takeoffs and landings, and the accident occurred at the completion of the last landing, as the airplane was rolling on the runway with the tailwheel on the ground. He further reported: "Landing 01 to north, a 3 point landing. Starting rollout went through some water from melted snow, and the right wheel seemed to hydroplane, not grabbing as much as the left one. Went to the left a little and go into some snow that pulled us to the left." When interviewed, the private pilot reported that the runway, which was about 75 feet wide, had not been plowed to full width. The private pilot estimated the width of the plowed area as 50 feet. The pilot rated passenger reported that he did not remember feeling a deceleration consistent with the application of brakes. He said that due to the tail wheel configuration of the airplane, he could not see over the nose of the airplane to the left side, and was not aware of the proximity of the airplane to the snow bank on the left side of the runway. However, he believed the airplane gradually drifted left and contacted a snow bank on the left side of the runway. He added that the airplane only deviated about 10 degrees from runway heading. The airplane tilted about 5 degrees to the right when it contact the snow bank and then tilted the other way after it had passed over the snow bank. The airplane was going about 8 miles per hours when it nosed over. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7342D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7342D-2026-08-15), registration cancelled 2026-08-15, S/N 22-5131, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-22/20-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (registry code 7102210) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-5131 - Airframe hours: 1589.35 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 10, 2003, 0.86 hours before - Departed: 64CT, South Woodstock, CT - Destination: 64CT, South Woodstock, CT - Airport: 64CT, Woodstock Airport, runway 01, 2,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review March 7, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 540 total, 22 in this make and model, 520 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: PVD, 30 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 20030308002379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030308002379A), Mar 8, 2003: Piper PA22150, South Woodstock, CT, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft landed on runway 01. Runway 01 had puddles of standing water caused by the melting snow. During the landing roll the pilot applied the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.