Piper PA-34-200T accident near Shelter Island, New York, January 2, 2012
On January 2, 2012 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8282P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Shelter Island, New York (Klenawicus Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing, which resulted in a failure of the right main and collapse of the left main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2012 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shelter Island, New York · Klenawicus Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8282P · no longer on the register · serial 34-8170022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after crossing over trees at the runway threshold, the airplane experienced a downdraft and decay in airspeed. The airplane touched down hard and bounced, and the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. Detailed examination of the landing gear revealed that the retraction arm fractured at its bolt connection, which allowed the oleo strut to rotate, where it sheared at the wheel axle assembly. None of the fracture surfaces exhibited evidence of any preexisting cracks or signatures of fatigue.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,548 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 13,456 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,287 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 19, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northeastern Aviation CORP
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NA Shelter Island NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FOK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.