Piper PA-28-160 accident near Hammond, New York, July 14, 1989
On July 14, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5913W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hammond, New York (Black Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE THE ACCIDENT WAS A WET GRASS RUNWAY AND THE FAULTY TACHOMETER WHICH INFLUENCED THE PILOT'S DECISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hammond, New York · Black Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5913W · no longer on the register · serial 28-3072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED NORMALLY UNITL IT WAS ROTATED. THE PILOT SAID HE NOTICED A POWER LOSS AND A DROP IN RPM TO 2100. THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 5 FEET OFF THE GROUND WITH ABOUT 900 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND LANDED BACK ON THE WET RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END STRIKING SOME TREE STUMPS. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE ENGINE TACHOMETER INDICATED 100 RPM LOW.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,406 hours in all; 3,306 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 8,200 as pilot in command; 5,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 1988; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ART Watertown NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 1,850 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.