Cessna 170A accident near Speculator, New York, January 1, 1989
On January 1, 1989 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1432D, was destroyed in an accident near Speculator, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INACCURATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISIONS BY THE PILOT WHO INADVERTENTLY FLEW HIS AIRCRAFT FROM VFR INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHILE MAKING A DESCENT AT NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1989 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Speculator, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1432D · no longer on the register · serial 20141
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF SPECULATOR, NEW YORK AND WAS DEMOLISHED. WEATHER REPORTED AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS CLEAR SKIES. HOWEVER, AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED IT'S DESTINATION, WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AND THE PILOT DEVERTED TO GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK.DURING DESCENT IN DARKNESS, AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES.
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: 244 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1987; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B7 Troy NY at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Tupper Lake NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N1432D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.