- Date
- December 24, 1988, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Harrison, NY
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N555STBeech A36
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881224056799A
- Case key
- 36262
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 plt was clrd for an IFR departure from rwy 16 in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). His departure clnc was to climb on rwy heading to 800 ft, then turn right to a heading of 320 deg. When the acft took off, tower psnl did not have visual contact with the acft, & asked the plt twice, if the acft was airborne. After the 2nd inquiry, the plt acknowledged that he was airborne; he was then instructed to change to departure freq. The plt acknowledged the freq change. Then, about 35 sec later, an ELT signal was heard. A search was initiated & the acft was found about 1/2 mi south of the tower. Witnesses, who heard the acft, rprtd that after takeoff, the acft appeared to enter a circling maneuver at low alt, then crashed. No preimpact mechanical problems were found with the acft. Wx at the time of the acdnt was in part: indefinite ceiling, 100 ft obscuration, vis 1/2 mi with fog, wind from 110 deg at 10 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N555ST
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E1157
- Airframe hours
- 1,362
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ira Schechter, doing business as Iral
- Registered owner
- Ira Schechter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 1988
- Destination
- MPV · Montpelier, VT
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- HPN · Westchester County, runway 16, 6,548 × 150 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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 787 total · 667 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HPN, 114 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.