Beech F33A accident near Farmingdale, New York, September 24, 1995
On September 24, 1995 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N3176G, was destroyed in an accident near Farmingdale, New York (Republic airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain pitch control of the airplane during the initial climb after lift-off, which resulted in a steep climb, loss of airspeed, and a resultant stall/spin and subsequent crash. A factor relating to the accident was: failure of the pilot to properly set the elevator trim before takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1995 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New York · Republic · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N3176G · registry record · serial CE-1271
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses saw the airplane take off from runway 14. According to them, the airplane went into a steep, nose high attitude, during the initial climb after lift-off, then it entered a spin, descended, and crashed. During an examination of the aircraft after the accident, the elevator trim was found in the full nose-up position. No mechanical malfunction was found during an examination of the main pitch servo and pitch trim servo. No preimpact mechanical failure of the airplane or engine was found. A toxicology test of the pilot's liver specimen showed 2.6 mg/kg Imipramine and 5.9 mg/kg Desipramine; these are antidepressants, which were not approved for use while operating an aircraft.
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: 578 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FRG at 9:03 pm
- Destination: BED Bedford MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,827 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from FRG, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.