Piper PA-28-181 accident near Shelter Island, New York, June 27, 1983
On June 27, 1983 at about 11:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N5615V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelter Island, New York (Westmoreland airport). It was a business 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 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
- June 27, 1983 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Shelter Island, New York · Westmoreland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N5615V · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY IN A SWAMP DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. THE PILOT SAID THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL BUT THAT THE ACFT FLOATED MORE THAN NORMAL. A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED. THE PILOT COULD NOT REMEMBER IF THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN BUT FELT THE ACFT DID NOT CLIMB PROPERLY. THE ACFT HIT A TREE AND CRASHED. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS AS THE ACFT TURNED FINAL THE PILOT BANKED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE ACFT SPEED WAS TOO FAST FOR A SLIGHT TAILWIND EXISTING AT THE TIME. THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. POWER WAS APPLIED AND THE ACFT GOT AIRBORNE IN A STALLING FASHION AND CRASHED IN THE SWAMP ACROSS THE ROAD. DURING INVESTIGATION TIRE MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE LAST 250 FT OF THE RWY AND CONTINUED THROUGH SOME HIGH GRASS. NO TIRE MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE ROAD. THE ACFT WAS 200 FT PAST THE ROAD WITH THE LEFT WING SHEARED OFF. THE RWY IS ABOUT 1400 FT LONG WITH A HIGH POINT IN THE MIDDLE SLOPING DOWN TO BOTH ENDS. THE ROAD PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY IS 50 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,083 hours in all; 2,671 in this make and model; 174 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,883 as pilot in command; 362 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,539 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 13, 1983; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7B8 Waterford CT at 10:45 am
- Destination: 09NY Shelter Island NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.