Cessna 172P and Piper PA-23-160 mid-air collision near Silver Greek, New York, November 27, 1983
On November 27, 1983 at about 8:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172P (N96268) and Piper PA-23-160 (N4089P), were involved in a mid-air collision near Silver Greek, New York (Dunkirk airport). 4 people were killed. 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
- November 27, 1983 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Silver Greek, New York · Dunkirk · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N96268 · no longer on the register · serial 17276048
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4089P · registry record · serial 23-1568
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ACFT WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION NEAR SILVER CREEK, NY. THE PLT OF N4089P WAS FLYING IN THE LEFT SEAT & USING AN INSTRUMENT HOOD WITH A SAFETY PLT IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT WITH HIS DAUGHTER. BOTH ACFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 400 YARDS APART ON THE GROUND. N4089P & N96268 COLLIDED ABOUT 4.6 MI NORTH- EAST OF THE DUNKIRK ARPT (UNCONTROLLED), WHILE PROCEEDING INBOUND TOWARD THE ARPT. WITNESSES SAW THE TWO ACFT CONVERGE &COLLIDE. THE PIPER CROSSED UNDER THE CESSNA AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL (1400 FT AGL). THE CESSNA LOST ABOUT 2 FT OF ITS RIGHT WING AND THE PIPER LOST THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD OF THE NACELLE AND ITS VERTICAL FIN AND RUDDER. THERE WERE NO KNOWN RADIOCALLS FROM EITHER ACFT BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THE COLLISION. OTHER PLTS DESCRIBED THE VISIBILITY AS GOOD WITH AN OVERCAST SKY AND NO SUNCLARE. BOTH ACFT CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL IN WOODED AREAS.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-23-160 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ACFT WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION NEAR SILVER CREEK, NY. THE PLT OF N4089P WAS FLYING IN THE LEFT SEAT & USING AN INSTRUMENT HOOD WITH A SAFETY PLT IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT WITH HIS DAUGHTER. BOTH ACFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 400 YARDS APART ON THE GROUND. N4089P & N96268 COLLIDED ABOUT 4.6 MI NORTH- EAST OF THE DUNKIRK ARPT (UNCONTROLLED), WHILE PROCEEDING INBOUND TOWART THE ARPT. WITNESSES SAW THE TWO ACFT CONVERGE &COLLIDE. THE PIPER CROSSED UNDER THE CESSNA AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL (1400 FT AGL). THE CESSNA LOST ABOUT 2 FT OF ITS RIGHT WING AND THE PIPER LOST THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD OF THE NACELLE AND ITS VERTICAL FIN AND RUDDER. THERE WERE NO KNOWN RADIOCALLS FROM EITHER ACFT BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THE COLLISION. OTHER PLTS DESCRIBED THE VISIBILITY AS GOOD WITH AN OVERCAST SKY AND NO SUNGLARE. BOTH ACFT CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL IN WOODED AREAS.
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 for the Cessna 172P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 220 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 18, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BAP Buffalo NY at 11:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BUF, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-23-160 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,550 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 3,490 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 1982; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JHW Jamestown NY
- Destination: DKK Dunkirk NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
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.