Piper PA-28-180 accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut, September 18, 2007
On September 18, 2007 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9285J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut (Igor I Sikorsky Mem Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing. Contributing was the crosswind weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2007 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Connecticut · Igor I Sikorsky Mem Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9285J · registry record · serial 28-3369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot performed several "touch-and-go" landings before returning to his home airport in the Piper PA-28-180. The pilot then completed a normal traffic pattern, approach, and touchdown with a light crosswind. During the rollout, the crosswind increased from the right, and the airplane began to drift left. The pilot then "over-reacted by applying too much right rudder input." The airplane veered to the right, departed the runway and impacted a sign, resulting in substantial damage. No mechanical abnormalities associated with the airplane were reported.
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: student
- Flight time: 8 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Three Wing Flying Services
The flight
- Departed from: OXC Oxford CT
- Destination: BDR Bridgeport CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,761 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from BDR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC07CA240.