Piper PA-60-601P accident near North Salem, New York, December 30, 1991
On December 30, 1991 at about 12:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-601P, registered N36362, was destroyed in an accident near North Salem, New York (Danbury Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A DISTRACTION CAUSED BY A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS ADVERSE WEATHER NEAR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1991 · about 12:48 pm local time
- Place
- North Salem, New York · Danbury Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-601P · all PA-60-601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N36362 · registry record · serial 07878063400
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A PERSONAL TRIP THAT HE HAD FLOWN MANY TIMES. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, ADDITIONAL FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AS HE NEARED HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT LEFT ONE OF HIS ENGINES IN A FUEL CROSSFEED CONFIGURATION CASUING A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE AIRPLANE HAS THE CAPABILITY TO CLIMB AT MORE THAN 500 FEET PER MINUTE USING ONLY ONE ENGINE. AFTER DECLARING HIS EMERGENCY TO THE CONTROL TOWER, RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING 90 DEGREES TO THE ILS FINAL APPROACH COURSE AT VERY LOW ALTITUDE BANKING SIDE TO SIDE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A 70 DEGREE NOSE DOWN POSITION. HEAVY SNOW HAD STARTED FALLING JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED MUCH OF THE AIRPLANE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1991; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: English Aero Services, INC
The flight
- Departed from: W63 Clarksville VA at 10:30 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.