Piper PA-18 accident near Westhampton, New York, August 5, 2000
On August 5, 2000 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N17080, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westhampton, New York (Francis S Gabreski airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 inadequate flare during the landing. Factors were the entanglement of the tow rope with the rudder horn, and restricted rudder movement.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2000 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Westhampton, New York · Francis S Gabreski · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N17080 · registry record · serial 18-7196
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot picked up a banner, and the tow rope became entangled around the airplane's rudder horn. He experienced a full right rudder deflection, and returned to the airport for landing. The pilot was unable to release the banner, and intentionally flew a steep descent angle in an attempt to land on the runway prior to the banner striking the ground. The pilot stated that he recovered too late from the descent, the airplane landed hard, and the main gear collapsed.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 911 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 505 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 805 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,983 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 31, 2000; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FOK at 1:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FOK
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.