Piper PA 11 accident near Grand Isle, Vermont, September 19, 2016
On September 19, 2016 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA 11, registered N4681M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Grand Isle, Vermont (Savage Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack during a simulated engine failure and forced landing with a tailwind, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2016 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Isle, Vermont · Savage Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 11 NO SERIES, built 1947 · all PA 11s on the register
- Registration
- N4681M · registry record · serial 11-190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that about 450 feet above the ground, he reduced the power to idle to simulate an engine failure and forced landing. The pilot further reported that he "pushed the nose over" and made a "left tear drop turn" to land on the opposite direction of the takeoff direction. When the pilot had about 15 to 20 degrees remaining in the turn, and was about 15 to 20 feet above the ground, he reported that he increased "back stick pressure" and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. Subsequently, the left wing dropped and the airplane impacted terrain in a nose low left wing down attitude. The left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported in the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report that he misjudged the wind speed and did not realize he was completing the simulated training maneuver with a tailwind. The accident airport did not have an automated weather observing system or wind indicator.
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
- Simulated/training event during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Awareness of condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,346 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 8,036 as pilot in command; 3,029 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 30, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-35-8 (piston); 3,300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VT26 South Hero VT at 3:20 pm
- Destination: VT26 South Hero VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 2,500 ft by 90 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KPBG, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 5, 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 (Courtesy of Wcax.com) | 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.