Piper PA32-300 accident near Montauk, New York, September 5, 2004
On September 5, 2004 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA32-300, registered N1351H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montauk, New York (Montauk airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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 maintain altitude\clearance while landing. A factor in this accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2004 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Montauk, New York · Montauk · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32-300 · all PA32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N1351H · no longer on the register · serial 32-7740034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on final approach to runway 6, a 3,258-foot-long, 85-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot reported that the airplane encountered wind shear and it's left wing struck trees. The airplane landed hard, and the nose and right main landing gear collapsed. Winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were from 110 degrees at 11 knots, with 18 knot gusts.
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: 516 hours in all; 443 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,820 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2004; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 6:30 pm
- Destination: MTP Montaulk NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,258 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from MTP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N1351H 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.