- Date
- May 29, 1985, 22:10 local (May 30, 1985, 02:10 UTC)
- Place
- Batavia, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8966WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850529067549A
- Case key
- 35884
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The acft was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of pwr on initial takeoff climb. The plt reported that at an alt of aprx 100 ft AGL, the eng quit operating. A forced landing was made 100 yrds off the end of rwy 28. Inspection of the acft and eng failed to disclose any mechanical failures/malfunctions which would have resulted in the loss of pwr.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8966W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2810543
- Airframe hours
- 1,400
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George Gratton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1983
- Departed
- Rochester, NY
- Airport
- 3G8 · Genesee Co, runway 28, 4,400 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 137 total · 14 in this make and model · 28 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8966W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.