- Date
- October 11, 1989, 19:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Glastonbury, CT
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4106WPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891011039909A
- Case key
- 36512
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain adequate altitude control during maneuvering flight. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the airplane's electrical system and the pilot's operation at night, without emergency lighting (flashlight).
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 pilots reported six miles southwest of the airport and indicated they were having a communications problem and were using a handheld radio. The flight was issued traffic from the tower and given clearance to land at the airport. The pilots indicated to the tower they might have to go around. The tower issued them instructions to go around, make a right 360 degree turn, and report back on final. The airplane was seen making a slow descending right turn. After 120 degrees of turn, it disappeared below the treeline. The accident occurred over unlit, wooded terrain during the hours of darkness.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4106W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40169
- Airframe hours
- 3,802
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald C. Davis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 3, 1989 · 222 hours before
- Departed
- Glen Falls, NY
- Destination
- HFD · Hartford, CT
- Airport
- HFD · Hartford Brainard, runway 2, 4,500 × ft, macadam
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 86 total · 12 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HFD, 75 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.
Other investigations on N4106W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.