Piper PA-23-250 accident near Newburgh, New York, February 3, 1982
On February 3, 1982 at about 3:23 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N62481, was destroyed in an accident near Newburgh, New York (Stewart airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1982 · about 3:23 am local time
- Place
- Newburgh, New York · Stewart · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N62481 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 2234 THE PLT WAS ISSUED A VECTOR TO THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX FOR THE ILS RWY 9 APCH. HE WAS ALSO ISSUED THE FOLLOWINGWX "...STEWART WEATHER THIRTY MINUTES AGO IS ESTIMATED ONE THOUSAND OVERCAST SIX MILES IN LIGHT RAIN AND HAZE." AT 2238 THE PLT WAS ADVISED TO EXPECT A 25-30 MINUTE DELAY & WAS CLEARED TO HOLD. AT 2306 THE PLT OF A B-727 LANDING ON RWY 9 REPORTED BREAKING OUT AT 400 FT. AT 2308 THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR THE APPROACH & RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD CURRENT WX INFORMATION. THE ACFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FT FROM THE APPROACH END & AN ESTIMATED 1,500 FT RIGHT OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RWY 9. ON 7/2/81 THE PLT FAILED HIS INITIAL ATP FLT EXAM DUE TO UNSATISFACTORY ILS APPROACHES. ON 1/21/82 DURING A 135 CHECK THE PLT'S ILS APPROACH WAS "VERY UNSATISFACTORY" & AS A CONSEQUENCE THE PLT WAS DISAPPROVED FOR OPERATION UNDER IFR.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,004 hours in all; 136 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,823 as pilot in command; 1,332 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,447 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Ventures, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: New York NY at 11:17 pm
- Destination: C Newburgh NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.