Piper PA-34-200 accident near Westhampton Bch, New York, May 25, 1992
On May 25, 1992 at about 6:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N15109, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westhampton Bch, New York (Francis S. Gabreski airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE LANDING FLARE WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1992 · about 6:28 pm local time
- Place
- Westhampton Bch, New York · Francis S. Gabreski · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N15109 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH DURING THE APPROACH, SO HE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND THEN HE USED FULL FLAPS WHILE ON SHORT FINAL. AFTERWARDS, THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS 80 TO 85 MPH AND THE DESCENT RATE WAS ABOUT 1000 FEET PER MINUTE. ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR, HE EXPECTED THE STUDENT TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE BY ADDING POWER, BUT INSTEAD THE STUDENT BEGAN AN 'EARLY ROUNDOUT.' THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ADVANCED THE THROTTLES; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE ABRUPTLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT BEFORE IT LANDED HARD ABOUT 100 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, ROUGHLY 1000 FEET PAST THE THRESHOLD.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1992; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LIO-360-C1EG (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FOK at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from FOK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.