Piper PA-28R-200 accident near New Castle, New York, November 16, 1989
On November 16, 1989 at about 4:35 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N55399, was destroyed in an accident near New Castle, New York (West Chester County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE ILS DURING THE ILS APPROACH AND FAILED TO PERFORM THE MISSED APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1989 · about 4:35 am local time
- Place
- New Castle, New York · West Chester County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55399 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7335228
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 16. THE RADAR CONTROLLER SAW THE AIRPLANE GO OFF THE LOCALIZER ONCE TO THE LEFT AND ONCE TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTROLLER WARNED THE PILOT ABOUT THE DEVIATIONS AND ALERTED HIM ABOUT BEING 300 FEET TOO LOW. RADAR LAST SHOWED THE AIRPLANE AT 700 FEET MSL AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. GROUND ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 600 FEET MSL AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 100 FOOT HIGH TREE. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS PARTIAL OBSCURATION WITH 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 40 SIMULATED INSTRUMENT AND 32 NIGHT FLIGHT HOURS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 198 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 174 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 4G6 Hornel NY
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,548 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 am from HPN, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.