Piper PA-15 accident near Lee Center, New York, October 26, 1985
On October 26, 1985 at about 11:00 am local time, a Piper PA-15, registered N4499H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lee Center, New York. 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).
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
- October 26, 1985 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Lee Center, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-15 · all PA-15s on the register
- Registration
- N4499H · registry record · serial 15-290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING AN APCH TO THE PLT'S PVT AIRSTRIP. AFTER A PLEASURE FLT OF ONE-HALF HOUR, WITH NO REPORTED PROBLEMS THE ACFT RETURNED TO THE ARPT. ON ABOUT A ONE-HALF MILE FINAL, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN AT ABOUT A 60 DEGREE BANK. THE PLT TRIED TO CORRECT WITH FULL RIGHT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER. REDUCING THE BANK ANGLE TO ABOUT 15 DEGREES. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A GUARD RAIL, SPINNING THE ACFT INTO A DITCH. THE PLT REPORTED, AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THAT THE RIGHT LOWER TAIL BRACE WIRE ATTACH FITTING, PIPER P/N 10075-04, HAD FAILED. HE ALSO REPORTED A PRE-EXISTING CRACK WAS FOUND IN THE FITTING.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-145-B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.