# NTSB NYC88FA062: Piper PA-32RT-300, N2243J, Burlington, VT, December 31, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 31, 1987, 17:42 local (22:42 UTC)
- Place: Burlington, VT
- Location: 44.4720° N, 73.1533° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PATRICK LEAHY BURLINGTON INTL (BTV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4720&lon=-73.1533&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report December 12, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35994
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88FA062
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35994/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88FA062

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)
  - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - overconfidence in aircraft's ability, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - wing - ice (cause)
  - pitot/static system
  - emergency equipment - improper use of, pilot in command
- Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - 
  - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach

## Analysis

DRG FLT FM WILMINGTON, DE TO RUTLAND, VT, THE PLT DIVERTED TO BINGHAMTON AFTER RECG THE ALBANY WX & LEARNING RUTLAND WX WAS NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER LNDG, HE TOLD FSS PSNL HE PHONED RUTLAND & WAS TOLD THE WX WAS GOOD. HE GOT 2 WX BRIEFINGS BFR CONTG THE FLT & WAS ADZD OF FLT PRECAUTIONS FOR ICING & TURBC, AS WELL AS PIREPS CONCERNING ICING. HE FILED A FLT PLAN &CONTD ON TO RUTLAND. WHILE APCHG RUTLAND AT 6000', HE RPRTD MOD ICING. HE REQD CLNC TO CLB & WAS CLRD TO 8000', BUT HAD DIFFICULTY CLBG. HE REQD & RECD VECTORS TO BURLINGTON, WHICH HAD 3500' OVC & GOOD VIS. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINT MIN SAFE ALT OF 5500' & DECLARED AN EMERG. AFTER DSCNDG BLO CLDS, HE SAID ICE WAS COMING OFF THE ACFT. HE RPRTD THE RWY IN SIGHT & WAS CLRD TO LND. WITNESSES SAID THAT ON FINAL APCH, THE ACFT LOST 150 TO 200 FT, THEN REGAINED SOME ALT SVRL TIMES. DRG 3RD LOSS OF ALT, IT HIT THE GND IN A FLAT ATTITUDE & SLID APRX 300' ONTO THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLT IN KNOWN ICING CONDS. PITOT HEAT SW FND IN OFF PSN. DC-9 CREW RPRTD 15 KT LOSS OF SPEED ON FINAL APCH.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2243J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2243J-1989-08-22), registration cancelled 1989-08-22, S/N 32R7985054 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32RT-300 (PA-32RT-30)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32RT-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300) (registry code 7103215) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32R-7985054
- Airframe hours: 1401
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1G5D 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Pual H. Spiller
- Registered owner: J. Hocutt, Jr.  P. H. Spiller
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 30, 1987, 19 hours before
- Departed: BGM, BINGHAMTON, NY
- Destination: RUT, RUTLAND, VT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: BTV, Burlington Intl, runway 15, 7,807 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 734 total, 230 in this make and model, 610 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Wind: 170° at 22 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature: 27 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BVT

## 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 19871231072769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871231072769A), Dec 31, 1987: Piper PA32RT300, Burlington, VT, Destroyed, 4 fatal. Heavy airframe icing and severe turbulence on emergency approach. Hit wind shear,stalled and crashed on overrun.

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.