Cessna 172C accident near Middletown, New York, December 14, 2006
On December 14, 2006 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172C, registered N8260X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middletown, New York (Randall Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudging distance/altitude during the turn from base to final, which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent collision with trees. A factor was the haze.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2006 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Middletown, New York · Randall Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C · all 172Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8260X · no longer on the register · serial 17248760
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While turning from base to final for a landing at the destination airport, the Cessna 172C struck trees and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the combination of "hazy visibility," a crazed windshield, and sun glare resulted in his misjudgment of the descent rate and runway alignment. He also stated that he should have initiated a "go-around."
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 26,360 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 26,107 as pilot in command; 23,364 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,543.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4N1 West Milford NJ at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 06N Middletown NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,810 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from MGJ, 8 miles away
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.