North American AT6 - C accident near Roxbury, New York, May 9, 2014
On May 9, 2014 at about 4:32 pm local time, a 1943 North American AT6 - C, registered N164EW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Roxbury, New York (Roxbury Runway Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance, which resulted in the inflight collision with a power line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2014 · about 4:32 pm local time
- Place
- Roxbury, New York · Roxbury Runway Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT6 - C C, built 1943 · all AT6 - Cs on the register
- Registration
- N164EW · no longer on the register · serial 4133808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to pilot he checked the weather at his destination airport and it called for VFR weather. While enroute to his destination he stated that the weather was deteriorating and the ceilings were getting low. As a precaution he started to look for a place to land since the weather was closing in and his fuel was also getting low. The pilot located a private grass strip and made an attempt to land. As the airplane touched down on the field the pilot applied the brakes, but he had little brake response due to the wet grass. When the pilot relized that he would be unable to stop the airplane prior to the end of the runway, he initiated a go-around and struck a power line follow by trees before losing control and colliding with the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to 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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,720 hours in all; 6,720 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,158 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNN Willoughby OH at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 1NK0 Roxbury NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,735 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from 1NK0
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.