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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2008 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 2008
- Place
- Ellington, Connecticut · Ellington Airport · cases near this 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9117W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,621 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 40 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ellington Airport · nearest airport
- Minute Man Air Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Connecticut 522 since 1982 · 68 in the last ten years
- Connecticut 1,612 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA08CA093.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.