Piper PA-28-140 accident near Pocantico Hills, New York, July 27, 1988
On July 27, 1988 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9715W, was destroyed in an accident near Pocantico Hills, New York (Westchester airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- July 27, 1988 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Pocantico Hills, New York · Westchester · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9715W · no longer on the register · serial 23191
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED IN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS AGAINST THE ADVICE OF SEVERAL PEOPLE HE TALKED TO. APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE FIRST OF FOUR OR FIVE MAYDAY CALLS WERE HEARD BY BRIDGEPORT RADIO AND AN AIRCRAFT FLYING IN THE BRIDGEPORT, CT AREA. ELT SIGNALS WERE HEARD DURING VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH N9715W AND PRIOR TO THE LAST KNOWN TRANSMISSION FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS, WHO LIVES NEAR THE OUTER MARKER FOR THE ILS AT RUNWAY 16 AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT, HEARD AN AIRCRAFT FLY OVER HIS HOUSE TWICE, THE SECOND TIME HE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO COLLIDE WITH THE GROUND. HE STATED THAT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 0130 AND THE WEATHER WAS 'ZERO, ZERO.' THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES IN HILLY TERRAIN NEAR THE AIRPORT.
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: 135 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,790 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1988; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Ground Leasing
The flight
- Departed from: BID Block Island RI at 3:15 am
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,550 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 am from BDR
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.