Travel Air 2000 accident near Shelter Island, New York, June 30, 2018
On June 30, 2018 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1929 Travel Air 2000, registered N8870, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Shelter Island, New York (Klenawicus Airfield). 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2018 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shelter Island, New York · Klenawicus Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Travel Air 2000 Undesignat, built 1929
- Registration
- N8870 · registry record · serial 937
- 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, after landing, while making a 180° left turn at the end of the runway, the right wing struck a tree branch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Ground collision during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 2, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,180 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6N (piston); 2,000 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HTO East Hampton NY at 1:45 pm
- Destination: NY03 Shelter Island NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 1,700 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 GAA18CA417.