# NTSB NYC88FA196: Piper PA-28-140, N9715W, Pocantico Hills, NY, July 27, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: July 27, 1988, 01:30 local (05:30 UTC)
- Place: Pocantico Hills, NY
- Coordinates: 41.130928, -73.779891 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1309&lon=-73.7799&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report January 24, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36009
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88FA196
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36009/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88FA196

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, approach
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - drizzle/mist
  - weather evaluation - disregarded, pilot in command (cause)
  - light condition - night (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - intentional, pilot in command (cause)
  - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED IN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS AGAINST THE ADVICE OF SEVERAL PEOPLE HE TALKED TO. APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE FIRST OF FOUR OR FIVE MAYDAY CALLS WERE HEARD BY BRIDGEPORT RADIO AND AN AIRCRAFT FLYING IN THE BRIDGEPORT, CT AREA. ELT SIGNALS WERE HEARD DURING VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH N9715W AND PRIOR TO THE LAST KNOWN TRANSMISSION FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS, WHO LIVES NEAR THE OUTER MARKER FOR THE ILS AT RUNWAY 16 AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT, HEARD AN AIRCRAFT FLY OVER HIS HOUSE TWICE, THE SECOND TIME HE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO COLLIDE WITH THE GROUND. HE STATED THAT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 0130 AND THE WEATHER WAS 'ZERO, ZERO.' THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES IN HILLY TERRAIN NEAR THE AIRPORT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9715W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9715W-1989-03-21), registration cancelled 1989-03-21, S/N 2823191 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 23191
- Airframe hours: 4790
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Air Ground Leasing, doing business as Air Ground Leasing
- Registered owner: Air Ground Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 8, 1988, 11 hours before
- Departed: BID, BLOCK ISLAND, RI
- Destination: HPN, WHITE PLAINS, NY
- Airport: HPN, Westchester, runway 16, 6,550 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 135 total, 110 in this make and model, 55 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 110° at 4 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BDR

## 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 19880727028179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880727028179A), Jul 27, 1988: Piper PA28140, White Plains, NY, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Flew into trees at night in near zero IMC. Was advised of instrument weather but took off in near zero IMC anyway.

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.