Piper PA-28-235 accident near Ellington, Connecticut, April 19, 2008
On April 19, 2008 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9117W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Ellington, Connecticut (Ellington Airport). 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 perform a go-around when the airplane floated during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2008 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ellington, Connecticut · Ellington Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9117W · registry record · serial 28-10729
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he departed from Stow, Massachusetts, requested and received VFR flight following for the flight. The flight was uneventful and he cancelled flight following 8 miles from the destination. He entered downwind for runway 19 and noted multiple aircraft and parachutes in the pattern area. He set up for a normal approach and was at 80 mph on short final with full flaps. The airplane floated long down the runway. When the airplane touched down he applied full brakes, back pressure and raised the flaps. The airplane overran the end of the runway and spun 140 degrees to the right before coming to a stop, in a low brush area. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. The pilot stated he should have gone around after floating down the runway.
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 undershoot during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 266 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6B6 Stow MA
- Destination: 7B9 Ellington CT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
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 MIA08CA093.