Piper PA-28-180 accident near Windham, Connecticut, September 5, 1992
On September 5, 1992 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N3751R, was destroyed in an accident near Windham, Connecticut. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INEXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1992 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Windham, Connecticut
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3751R · no longer on the register · serial 28-5811
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON HIS SECOND TRY AT EXECUTING THE LOCALIZER 27 APPROACH AT WINDHAM AIRPORT (ELEVATION; 247 FEET). HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH ON THE FIRST TRY, SO HE DID A MISSED APPROACH. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON HIS SECOND TRY HE CROSSED THE FINAL APPROACH FIX AT THE PUBLISHED ALTITUDE AND THEN DESCENDED TO THE MINIMINUM DESCENT ALTITUDE: 1020 FEET. AT 1100 FEET, HE ASKED THE PASSENGER TO LOOK FOR GROUND LIGHTS. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE AIRPLANE CRASHED WHEN IT STRUCK TREES. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ON THE LOCALIZER COURSE INBOUND, 3.8 DME MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, INCLUDING THE ALTIMETER, DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD 29 HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT TIME AND 3 HOURS OF ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME. HE OBTAINED AN INSTRUMENT RATING JUST OVER A MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 197 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,150 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 8, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Windham Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BID Block Island RI at 3:30 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:02 am from BDL, 26 miles away
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.