# NTSB NYC81DFA09: Piper PA-28, N4308F, Palenville, NY, December 26, 1980

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: December 26, 1980
- Place: Palenville, NY · PALENVILLE, NY
- Location: 42.1857° N, 74.0290° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Palenville, NY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1857&lon=-74.0290&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 19, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 127689
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC81DFA09
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC81DFA09

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3533  80/12/26 NR.PALENVILLE,NY      PIPER PA-28         CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 39, 132
        TIME - 1330                    N4308F              PX-  0  0  1  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, ALL IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          KINGSTON,NY                 LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           WEATHER - DOWNDRAFT,UPDRAFTS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          CLEAR                                                    UNLIMITED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- ENCTRD DWNDFT APRX 1000FT AGL OVR MOUNTAINOUS TRRN WHILE CKG ON LOCAL SKIING CONDS.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4308F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4308F-1997-10-14), registration cancelled 1997-10-14, S/N 287725006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## 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 19801226078539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19801226078539A), Dec 26, 1980: Piper PA28140, Palenville, NY, Destroyed. Encountered severe downdraft at 1000 feet above terrain. Unable to check descent. Struck trees on a ridge.

## Other investigations on N4308F (1)

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.

- [NTSB LAX96LA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA332), Sep 10, 1996: Piper PA-28-140 (N4308F), Lancaster, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the student pilot to maintain direction control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and subsequent collapse of the nose gear, during an encountered with soft…

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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