Piper PA-32-260 accident near Claverack, New York, December 4, 1996
On December 4, 1996 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3324W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Claverack, New York. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1996 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Claverack, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3324W · registry record · serial 32-158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while en route at 9500 feet, after about 20 minutes of level flight, the engine power decreased to below idle rpm. The fuel flow had been 13 gallons per hour (gph) until the power loss occurred, but after the power loss, the flow was 28 gph. The outside air temperature was -20 degrees Celsius. The pilot's attempts to regain power, including the use of carburetor heat, were unsuccessful. He made a forced landing in a field. The pilot, an aircraft mechanic, reported that after landing, he inspected the engine. Not finding any discrepancy, he started the engine 'which ran good.'
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 856 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 793 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,956 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 1996; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cooling Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: N27 Johnston NY at 5:30 am
- Destination: DXR Danbury CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.