Piper PA-28-140 accident near Spring Valley, New York, July 16, 1985
On July 16, 1985 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered CFEYV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Valley, New York (Ramapo Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 16, 1985 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spring Valley, New York · Ramapo Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- CFEYV · no longer on the register · serial 287425254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DECIDED TO DIVERT TO THE RAMPA VALLEY ARPT DUE TO WX. HE OVER FLEW THE ARPT 2 TIMES, THEN MADE AN APCH TO LAND, BUT THE ACFT WAS HIGH & FAST, SO HE MADE A GO-AROUND. HE STATED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL LANDING ON THE NEXT APCH. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO GET SUFFICIENT BRAKING ACTION ON THE WET RWY. THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE DEPARTURE END & WENT INTO A DITCH. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT HAD LANDED ON THE ASPHALT RWY IMMEDIATELY AFTER RAIN HAD STOPPED FALLING. AFTER LANDING, THE PLT DECIDED NOT TO MAKE A GO-AROUND SINCE THERE WERE POWER LINES NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 104 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIY Atlantic City NJ at 4:30 pm
- Destination: N07 Lincoln Park NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 2,185 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.