Piper PA-28-140 accident near Spring Valley, New York, April 23, 1986
On April 23, 1986, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N44331, was destroyed in an accident near Spring Valley, New York (Ramapo Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- April 23, 1986
- Place
- Spring Valley, New York · Ramapo Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N44331 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7425404
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PAX STATED THAT HE & THE PLT WERE AT A BAR WHERE THEY HAD ABOUT THREE BEERS RPIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT DID SEVERAL STALLS AND SOME AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE PAX WAS UNNERVED AND TOLD THE PLT THAT HE WANTED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. DURING THE FINAL APCH LEG TO THE ARPT THE PLT UNDERSHOT THE RWY AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITHTREES LOCATED ABOUT 475 FT FROM AND BELOW THE ELEVATION OF THE RWY. A WITNESS SAW THE ACFT APCH THE ARPT IN A NORMAL MANNER WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE PLT WAS COMATOSE FOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTERWARDS AND HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PAX REPORTED NO PROBLEM WITH THE ACFT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. EXAM OF THE ACFT DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. THE BAROMETERIC PRESSURE WAS 29.75. THE ALTIMETER WAS SET TO 30.40. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S LOGBOOK, THE PLT'S LAST FLT AND LAST NIGHT FLT WERE RESPECTIVELY 6 AND 5.5 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT DATE. A BLOOD ALCOHOL TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED ON THE PLT BECAUSE OF HIS INJURIES.
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: 153 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 103 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,516 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1985; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N24 Spring Valley NY
- Destination: N24 Spring Valley NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,185 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,800 ft; not recorded at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from HPN, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.