Piper PA32 accident near Montauk, New York, August 10, 2020
On August 10, 2020 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA32, registered N4817S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Montauk, New York (Montauk airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2020 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Montauk, New York · Montauk · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 260, built 1969 · all PA32s on the register
- Registration
- N4817S · no longer on the register · serial 32-1277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the 75-ft-wide runway at the destination airport. He reported that during landing, the airplane bounced, and a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left side of the runway. He further stated he was having problems getting the airplane to settle back down on the runway and was afraid to advance the throttle due to being blown off the runway. The airplane subsequently struck trees off the side of the runway and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions reported at the airport about the time of the landing included a wind from 27 degrees left of the runway heading at a velocity of 6 knots, or a left crosswind component of 3 knots.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 192 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 16.7 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 31, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,077.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 2020; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 489 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY at 3:30 pm
- Destination: MTP Montauk NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,246 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KMTP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 15, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photo's | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.