Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Kingston, New York, May 19, 2012
On May 19, 2012 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N6236C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingston, New York. 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees/foliage at an undetermined point during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2012 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N6236C · registry record · serial 28R-7837151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a local flight, the pilot briefly observed a “dark mass” in his peripheral vision and felt the airplane shaking. He looked to the left and noted that the left wing was damaged. He then returned to the departure airport and landed uneventfully. All collected evidence supports the likelihood that the airplane struck trees or some other foliage during the flight. Green-colored deposits that were initially observed on the wing leading edge later turned brown; concave depressions, oriented perpendicular to the chord of the wing, were observed on the wing leading edge; and pieces of wood were recovered from within the wing. Examination of the airplane and photographs showed no evidence of an encounter with birds or other wildlife.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 458 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Equipment Company LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 20N Kingston NY at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 20N Kingston NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from POU, 21 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.