Piper PA-60-600 accident near Syracuse, New York, May 7, 1996
On May 7, 1996 at about 1:45 am local time, a Piper PA-60-600, registered N222KD, suffered minor damage in an accident near Syracuse, New York. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to ensure that his hand would remain clear of the propeller, while attempting to take remedial action to secure the clam shell door. The unlatching and separation of the clam shell door from the aircraft were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1996 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Syracuse, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N222KD · registry record · serial 60-0557-181
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After leveling the airplane at 6000 feet msl, the pilot noticed that the upper half of the clamshell cockpit door had become ajar, and the door unsafe light illuminated. The pilot attempted to secure the door, but it separated from the aircraft. During the occurrence, the pilot's left hand was seriously injured. He was not certain of how the injury occurred, but he believed that his left hand had contacted the left engine propeller blades. He wrapped his hand in a flight jacket and made an emergency landing, where he received medical attention. Attempts to recover the upper half of the clamshell door for further examination were unsuccessful.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,375 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UCA Utica NY at 1:35 am
- Destination: BUF Buffalo NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from SYR, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.