Piper PA-23-250 accident near Windham, Connecticut, April 22, 2007
On April 22, 2007 at about 7:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5651Y, was destroyed in an accident near Windham, Connecticut (Windham Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2007 · about 7:43 pm local time
- Place
- Windham, Connecticut · Windham Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5651Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-2767
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner and his pilot-rated passenger were on final approach to runway 27 when the wind increased and became gusty. Witnesses observed the airplane abort its landing approach, and enter a go-around attitude. The airplane climbed at an "unusually steep angle," and then turned to the left in a 50-degree bank. The airplane "stalled," rolled, and pitched nose-down until it reached a near vertical attitude, before impacting the ground. The witnesses reported that the airplane's engines were "revving" during the entire sequence, and examination of pictures taken by one of the witnesses revealed the flaps and landing gear were fully extended for the entire sequence. Examination of the airplane and engines revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. The pilot had accumulated 3,848 hours of total flight experience. The multiengine-rated passenger reported 1,141 hours of total flight experience. The winds reported at the airport, 8 minutes after the accident, were from 190 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The winds were calm, or light and variable, all day, prior to the weather report issued at the time of the accident.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,848 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,141 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HWV Shirley NY at 2:52 pm
- Destination: IJD Windham CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,278 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from IJD
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.