Piper PA-28-140 accident near Aurora, New York, June 8, 2003
On June 8, 2003 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N560FL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, New York (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper climb rate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2003 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, New York · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N560FL · registry record · serial 28-7125401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing to the south on his private 2,000-foot-long, 60-foot-wide, grass runway. He stated the airplane was configured with "two notches" of flaps. He rotated at 60 mph, and climbed at 75 mph. The pilot then realized that the airplane was not climbing fast enough to clear the 50-foot-high trees located at the end of the runway. As the airplane approached the trees, the pilot made a right turn; however, the left wing struck a tree and the airplane came to rest in a field. The pilot reported that the airplane's gross weight at the time of the accident was about 1,900 pounds. The weather reported at an airport about 22 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident included winds from 150 degrees at 10 knots, with 17 knot gusts, a temperature of 73 degrees F, and an altimeter setting of 29.73 in/hg. Review of the takeoff distance chart in the airplane owner's handbook revealed that the distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle, at a gross weight of 1,950 pounds was about 1,900 feet. However, the chart was predicated on a takeoff from a level hard surface runway, in a no wind, zero flap configuration.
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
- Flight time: 170 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,903 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 2002; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Aurora NY at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway S, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PEO, 22 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.
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.