Piper PA28 accident near Simsbury, Connecticut, May 31, 2022
On May 31, 2022 at about 11:25 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA28, registered N2973K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Simsbury, Connecticut (Simsbury Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the landing, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2022 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Simsbury, Connecticut · Simsbury Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 161, built 1979 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N2973K · registry record · serial 28-8016007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a cross country flight and at the destination airport entered the right downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, then turned onto right base leg of the airport traffic pattern. Because of “excessive wind gusts” on final approach he performed a go-around and remained in the traffic pattern for the same runway. On final approach the flight again encountered a wind gust and the airplane descended. He added power to arrest the descent but the airplane then floated down the runway. The airplane touched down just prior to a taxiway, with about 959 ft of runway available. He applied the brakes but realized he would be unable to stop before the runway end. He applied power to abort the landing, but the airplane did not climb as he expected and it travelled off the end of the runway into a farm field. He did not recall if he applied the brakes or reduced power in an attempt to abort the aborted landing. The airplane impacted a metal frame that enclosed plants and came to rest with the nose landing gear collapsed. The engine mount was substantially damaged. He reported that when he added full power to go-around the engine responded, the airplane was decelerating with initial brake application, and there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane that resulted in the runway excursion. Postaccident examination revealed the flap selector was in the retracted position.
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 (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 2021
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 Series (piston); 3,709 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 10:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,205 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from KBDL, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBDL 312351Z 18012KT 10SM FEW080 BKN100 BKN250 26/17 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP125 T02560172 10339 20256 53010
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 ERA22LA253.