Piper PA-28-140 accident near East Killingly, Connecticut, January 21, 2006
On January 21, 2006 at about 2:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N32729, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Killingly, Connecticut. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed decision to discontinue the simulated forced landing, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2006 · about 2:53 pm local time
- Place
- East Killingly, Connecticut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N32729 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7525103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After conducting maneuvers during a flight review, the flight instructor reduced the engine power to idle in order to simulate an engine failure. The pilot/owner subsequently picked a field to perform the simulated forced landing to, and completed the emergency checklist. About 100 feet above the ground, the pilot asked the flight instructor if he could "have the power back." The flight instructor agreed, and the pilot subsequently increased engine power. During the climb, the airplane struck trees, then impacted the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical problems associated with the airplane, and reported that the engine was operating normally.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,950 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 236 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IJD Windham CT
- Destination: IJD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.