Ryan NAVION accident near Westhampton Beach, New York, February 26, 2017
On February 26, 2017 at about 4:40 pm local time, a 1951 Ryan NAVION, registered N4529K, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Westhampton Beach, New York (Francis S Gabreski airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's exceedance of the critical angle of attack during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to familiarize himself with the flight characteristics of the unfamiliar airplane before conducting the flight review.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2017 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Westhampton Beach, New York · Francis S Gabreski · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION F, built 1951 · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N4529K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-2338-B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, was receiving a flight review from an instructor who was not familiar with the airplane make and model. The pilot stated that they did not discuss the potential differences between the accident airplane and the airplanes the instructor typically flew before the flight. After departing, they flew to a nearby airport to perform touch-and-go landings. The pilot was performing the first approach for landing in gusty wind conditions. About 100 ft above the runway, the flight instructor took control of the airplane. The airplane landed hard and bounced back into the air. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to avoid a stall when the flight instructor yelled, "hands off the yoke." The airplane subsequently experienced an aerodynamic stall/spin and impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that the design of the accident airplane resulted in a "sight picture" during the landing approach that appeared "very steep." He also stated that, although slipping with the wing flaps fully extended is prohibited in many airplanes, such a maneuver is not prohibited in the accident airplane. The pilot opined that the abnormal sight picture observed during the landing approach and his slipping of the airplane with the flaps extended may have caused the instructor to "[feel] the need to take control of the aircraft at such a critical point in flight." Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular (AC) 61-98D provides information for pilots and flight instructors to use when complying with the requirements of the flight review. The AC states that, before giving a flight review in an unfamiliar aircraft, an instructor should obtain recent flight experience in that aircraft or sufficient knowledge of its limitations, characteristics, and performance. Although the reason that the instructor took control of the airplane could not be determined, it is likely that he felt the pilot was performing an unsafe maneuver that required intervention; however, it is possible that he interpreted the pilot's actions as unsafe due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane and its operating characteristics. During the subsequent go-around following the bounced landing, the instructor exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach
- Abrupt maneuver during approach
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 962 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 737 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,547 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB4A (piston); 1,257 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FOK Westhampton Beach NY at 3:30 pm
- Destination: FOK Westhampton Beach NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 21 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from FOK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4529K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA17FA115.