# NTSB NYC99LA014: Piper PA-28R-201, N31869, Mattituck, NY, October 21, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 21, 1998, 14:20 local (18:20 UTC) - Place: Mattituck, NY - Coordinates: 41.000907, -72.530158 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0009&lon=-72.5302&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45274 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99LA014 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45274/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA014 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's directional control during a go-around. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, go-around (vfr) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was flying from the right seat, and the passenger, who was also a student pilot, was in the left seat. The commercial pilot attempted to land, but when he felt it could not be done safely, he decided to perform a go-around. The airplane drifted off the left side of the runway and collided with trees during the go-around. Winds were from the right, about 10 knots. ## Factual narrative On October 21, 1998, about 1420 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-28R-201, N31869, was substantially damaged during landing at Mattituck Airbase (21N), Mattituck, New York. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the flight between Teterboro Airport (TEB), Teterboro, New Jersey, and Mattituck. The business flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the airplane was inbound to Mattituck to deliver engine parts. The passenger, who was also a student pilot, was in the left seat and the commercial pilot was flying from the right seat. The commercial pilot attempted to land on Runway 19, then decided to go around. The airplane drifted off the left side of the runway and collided with trees. In a written statement, the commercial pilot stated he flew over the airfield, and used the windsock to determine the wind direction and select the runway. He cleared 50-foot trees at the approach end of the runway, and brought the power to idle in order to descend. He was about 25 feet above the runway, when he realized there would not be enough runway remaining to land safely, so he initiated a go-around. A few seconds later he heard a noise that sounded like the "impact of tree tops." Winds recorded 27 minutes prior to the accident, at an airport 9 nautical miles south, were from 310 degrees magnetic, varying between 290 and 360, at 12 knots. An airport 27 miles to the east reported winds from 270 degrees magnetic at 8 knots, 26 minutes prior to the accident. An airport 26 miles to southwest reported winds from 280 degrees magnetic at 10 knots, 30 minutes prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N31869](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N31869-2000-05-05), registration cancelled 2000-05-05, S/N 28R-7837252 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28R-201 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-201](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201) (registry code 7102816) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7837252 - Airframe hours: 7387 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Million Air - Registered owner: Kenneth Forester, Inc. DBA - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 24, 1998, 35 hours before - Departed: TEB, TETERBORO, NJ - Destination: 21N - Airport: 21N, Mattituck Airbase, runway 19, 2,200 × 130 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 240 total, 10 in this make and model, 133 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FOK, 9 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 19981021029859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981021029859A), Oct 21, 1998: Piper PA28R201, Mattituck, NY, Destroyed. Acft was coming in to land when it struck trees and crashed 100 yards east of rwy 19.(.4) the commercial pilot was flying from the right seat, and the… 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.