# NTSB NYC89FA204: Cessna U206F, N8559Q, West Point, NY, August 29, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: August 28, 1989, 22:53 local (Aug 29, 1989, 02:53 UTC)
- Place: West Point, NY
- Coordinates: 41.390396, -73.969024 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3904&lon=-73.9690&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 10, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36295
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC89FA204
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36295/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89FA204

## Probable cause

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO AN AREA OF MARGINAL VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  DARK NIGHT, HIGH TERRAIN, LOW CLOUDS/CEILING, RAIN, AND TREES.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with object, maneuvering
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PLT WAS REPOSITIONING THE ACFT AT NGT TO HIS HOME ARPT AT KINGSTON. HE RCVD VFR ADVISORIES FM NEW YORK TRACON FOR ROUTING TO TETERBORO & TO CONT NORTH BELOW THE TCA, ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER TO KINGSTON. THE ATC CTLR ISSUED A CLNC AS REQUESTED, PROVIDED WX INFO & TOLD THE PLT TO MAINT 2500'. MINUTES LATER, THE PLT REQUESTED A LOWER ALT & WAS APPROVED FOR FLT THRU THE TETERBORO ARPT TFC AREA. HE RPRTD 'THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE IN SIGHT' & SAID HE NO LONGER NEEDED RADAR SVC. AT 2222 EDT, RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED 2 MI EAST OF TETERBORO & THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO CTC WITH THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT TREES & CRASHED NEAR A HILLTOP, WHILE HDG SW OVER AN ARTILLERY RANGE ON THE WEST POINT MILITARY ACADEMY. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT AFTER RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED, THE ACFT CONTD NORTH BTN 1800' & 1200' MSL UNTIL RADAR CTC WAS LOST APRX 3 MI SOUTH OF THE ARTILLERY RANGE. A WITNESS (2 MI SOUTH OF THE CRASH SITE) SAW AN ACFT CIRCLING AT LOW ALT BEFORE CONTINUING NORTH. SHE SAID CONDS WERE RAINY, CLOUDY & VERY DARK. NO PREIMPACT MECH PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8559Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8559Q-1990-07-23), registration cancelled 1990-07-23, S/N U20603415 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA U206F
- Registry model: [Cessna U206F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206f) (registry code 2073333) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: U20603415
- Airframe hours: 6917
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Registered owner: Carroll Air Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 28, 1989, 4 hours before
- Departed: PNE, PHILADELPHIA, PA
- Destination: 20N, KINGSTON, NY

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; commercial, flight instructor; 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: 9,500 total, 188 in the last 90 days, 123 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Night/dark
- Wind: 130° at 8 knots
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: POU, 16 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890829032789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890829032789A), Aug 29, 1989: Cessna U206F, Highland Falls, NY, Destroyed. Returning from air taxi trip crashed.

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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