Piper PA-22-150 accident near Batavia, New York, May 17, 1985
On May 17, 1985 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N7523D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Batavia, New York (Genesee airport). It was a personal 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1985 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Batavia, New York · Genesee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7523D · registry record · serial 22-5251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL RATED-FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK OFF GENESEE CO. AIRPORT AND FLEW A NORMAL PATTERN FOR LANDING. SOME GUSTINESS WAS NOTED BY THE PILOT BY OBSERVING THE WIND SOCK. DURING LANDING ROLL OUT, A SLIGHT SWERVE TO THE SOUTH, AIRCRAFT LANDING TO THE WEST, WAS EXPERIENCED AND WAS COUNTERED WITH RIGHT RUDDER. AT THIS TIME A NORTHLY GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO GOUND LOOP TO THE RIGHT. AT THE SAME TIME, THE LEFT STRUT MAIN GEAR FAILED IN COMPRESSION, FOLDING THE LEFT GEAR BENEATH THE FUSELAGE. THE LEFT WING TIP AND PROPELLER THEN CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 621 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 614 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,768 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3G8 Batavia NY at 7:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N7523D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 NYC85LA132.