Piper PA-39-30 accident near Margaretville, New York, July 31, 1988
On July 31, 1988, a Piper PA-39-30, registered N2875A, was destroyed in an accident near Margaretville, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- July 31, 1988
- Place
- Margaretville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-39-30 · all PA-39-30s on the register
- Registration
- N2875A · registry record
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED BLOCK ISLAND, RI EN ROUTE TO STEWART INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NEWBURGH, NEW YORK, THE AIRCRAFT NEVER ARRIVED AND WAS REPORTED MISSING AUGUST 2, 1988. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MISSING UNTIL NOVEMBER 21, 1988 WHEN IT WAS FOUND NEAR MARGARETVILLE, NY BY DEER HUNTERS WHO NOTIFIED THE STATE POLICE OF THE LOCATION. THE AIRCRAFT HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN AT THE 3,300 FT LEVEL IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, WELL OFF DIRECT ROUTE OF FLIGHT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,223 hours in all; 1,025 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,025 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BID Block Island RI
- Destination: SWF Newburgh NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:28 pm from BDR, 6 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.