Piper PA-28-235 accident near Mttituck, New York, December 26, 1985
On December 26, 1985 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9409W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mttituck, New York (Mattituck 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
- December 26, 1985 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mttituck, New York · Mattituck · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9409W · registry record · serial 28-1116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT STATES ON LANDING FLAIR THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRACKING ON A 190 DEGREE HEADING FOR RWY 29 WINDS WERE FROM 260 PT 20 KTS ON FLAIR ACFT DRIFTED APPROX 16 FT TO THE LEFT AND LEFT WIDE EXTENDED BEYOND RWY MAKING CONTACT WITH SHRUBBRY ON THE EDGE OF THE RWY. ACFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
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: 280 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Destination: 21N Mattituck NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,200 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 NYC86LA053.