# NTSB NYC84FFA02: Piper PA-28-180, N9335J, Lexington, NY, February 20, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report
- Date: February 20, 1984, 18:38 local (23:38 UTC)
- Place: Lexington, NY
- Coordinates: 42.250179, -74.360366 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2502&lon=-74.3604&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35374
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC84FFA02
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35374/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC84FFA02

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - weather forecast - disregarded, pilot in command (cause)
  - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (cause)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
  - became lost/disoriented, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)

## Analysis

WEATHER BRIEFING FORECAST LOW CEILINGS, MOUNTAINS OBSCURED AND LGT TO MOD TURBULENCE. VFR NOT RECOMMENDED. PLT FILED NO FLT PLAN. PLT REPORTED THAT AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN DURING THE RECOVERY. WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT IN LEVEL FLT FLYING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS AFTER WHICH IT MADE A SHALLOW LEFT TURN TOWARD THE MOUNTAIN FOLLOWED BY SOUNDS OF IMPACT. THE PLT REPORTED REPORTED BEING AT 2000 FT APRX 20 MI WEST OF PROPOSED ROUTE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N9335J (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-3432
- Airframe hours: 2201
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: William M. Gurry
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 1983, 119 hours before
- Departed: 5B5, BENNINGTON, VT
- Destination: TEB, TETERBORO, NY

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,400 total, 185 in this make and model, 1,100 as pilot in command, 73 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Wind: 270° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

## 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 19840220004189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840220004189A), Feb 20, 1984: Piper PA28180, Lexington, NY, Substantial damage. Pilot lost control of aircraft in weather and aircraft crashed during recovery from spin.

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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