Cessna 182P accident near Ellenville, New York, June 26, 1987
On June 26, 1987 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N722DD, was destroyed in an accident near Ellenville, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- June 26, 1987 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Ellenville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N722DD · no longer on the register · serial 18262803
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA OF MINNEWASKA STATE PARK WHILE CLIMBING TO CRUISE ON A VFR FLIGHT. THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 1,430 FEET HIGHER IN ELEVATION THAN THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE WEATHER AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS 1000 FEET BROKEN, 2000 FEET OVERCAST. PARK RANGERS SAID THE MOUNTAINTOPS WERE OBSCURED IN THE AFTERNOON ON THE ACCIDENT DATE. THE SPECIALIST AT THE POUGHKEEPSIE FSS STATED THAT AFTER HE COPIED THE PLT'S REQUESTED IFR FLT PLAN, HE ASKED IF THE PLT WANTED A WX BRIEF. THE PLT REPLIED NO AND ACCORDING TO THE SPECIALIST, HUNG UP THE PHONE. ABOUT TWO MINUTES AFTER BEING GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND PUTTING HIS CLEARANCE ON REQUEST, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO FLT PLAN STORED AND HE WOULD HAVE TO COME IN AND FILE ONE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PLT REQUESTED A VFR DEPARTURE AND WAS CLEARED FOR TKOF.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,501 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SWF Newburg NY at 5:33 pm
- Destination: SYR Syracuse NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from SWF, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.