Piper PA-32-300 accident near Danbury, Connecticut, August 1, 1989
On August 1, 1989 at about 1:01 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N8909N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF (EXCESSIVE) AIRSPEED, HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND FAILURE TO MAKE A GO-AROUND, WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING. THE FENCE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1989 · about 1:01 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8909N · registry record · serial 32-40696
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING ON RUNWAY 35. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO TOUCH DOWN AT ABOUT MIDFIELD. THE PILOT SAID A GO-AROUND SEEMED ILL ADVISED, SO HE APPLIED BRAKES & RAISED THE FLAPS. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED A FENCE, A RIGHT GROUND LOOP WAS MADE IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A COLLISION. HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING MADE CONTACT WITH THE FENCE & THE PROP CONTACTED THE GROUND.
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: 549 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 520 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BDR Bridgeport CT at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,135 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC89LA169.