Beech 33-F33A accident near Warwick, New York, September 9, 2000
On September 9, 2000 at about 3:17 pm local time, a Beech 33-F33A, registered N8087M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warwick, New York (Warwick Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to fully retract flaps during a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2000 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Warwick, New York · Warwick Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 33-F33A
- Registration
- N8087M · no longer on the register · serial CE-1690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot initiated a go-around about half-way down the 2,250 foot long runway, because his airspeed was too fast. At 80 knots, he raised the nose of the airplane and at 70 knots he 'picked up the flaps' and the airplane began to sink. The pilot then raised the landing gear, before the airplane contacted trees about 400 feet from the departure end of the runway. The airplane came to rest upright at the base of a tree and a fire commenced. The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook stated that a sudden and complete retraction of the flaps at a very low airspeed could cause a loss of lift resulting in the airplane settling to the ground. The pilot reported no engine problems during the flight, and examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 790 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1999; 175 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: N72
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3R, 2,260 ft by 28 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from SWF, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8087M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.