Piper PA28 accident near Hamburg, New York, August 11, 2016
On August 11, 2016, a 1977 Piper PA28, registered N2259Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hamburg, New York (Hamburg INC 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 failure to perform a go-around, which resulted in a landing area overshoot, a runway overrun, a landing gear collapse, and a collision with a guard rail.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2016
- Place
- Hamburg, New York · Hamburg INC · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 181, built 1977 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N2259Q · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that about 7 nautical miles from the airport he mistook a road for the runway, which resulted in the airplane being above the normal approach path for landing. The pilot further reported that he reduced power to idle, applied full flaps, and entered a side slip, but the airplane did not touchdown until about ½ to ¾ down the runway. Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway, the landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted a guard rail on a road about 550 feet beyond the runway threshold. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 374 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 264 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 1,150 hours total
- Operator: Western New York Flying Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: BQR Lancaster NY
- Destination: 4G2 Hamburg NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,465 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from KBUF, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 7, 2016. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.