Beech A36 accident near Harrison, New York, December 24, 1988
On December 24, 1988 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N555ST, was destroyed in an accident near Harrison, New York (Westchester County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- December 24, 1988 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Harrison, New York · Westchester County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N555ST · registry record · serial E1157
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS CLRD FOR AN IFR DEPARTURE FROM RWY 16 IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). HIS DEPARTURE CLNC WAS TO CLIMB ON RWY HEADING TO 800 FT, THEN TURN RIGHT TO A HEADING OF 320 DEG. WHEN THE ACFT TOOK OFF, TOWER PSNL DID NOT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ACFT, & ASKED THE PLT TWICE, IF THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE. AFTER THE 2ND INQUIRY, THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE WAS AIRBORNE; HE WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE TO DEPARTURE FREQ. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE FREQ CHANGE. THEN, ABOUT 35 SEC LATER, AN ELT SIGNAL WAS HEARD. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED & THE ACFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE TOWER. WITNESSES, WHO HEARD THE ACFT, RPRTD THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT APPEARED TO ENTER A CIRCLING MANEUVER AT LOW ALT, THEN CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE ACFT. WX AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT WAS IN PART: INDEFINITE CEILING, 100 FT OBSCURATION, VIS 1/2 MI WITH FOG, WIND FROM 110 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 787 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 667 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,362 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: MPV Montpelier VT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,548 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from HPN, 114 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.