Cessna 337G accident near Harrison, New York, June 14, 1990
On June 14, 1990 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 337G, registered N72476, was destroyed in an accident near Harrison, New York (West Chester County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC AND HIS SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1990 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Harrison, New York · West Chester County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337G · all 337Gs on the register
- Registration
- N72476 · no longer on the register · serial 33701598
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OBTAINED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE INTO AN AIRPORT THAT WAS IFR. HE WAS ADVISED OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, BUT ELECTED TO CONTINUE HIS APPROACH. HE MADE TWO APPROACHES AND COULD NOT MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. AFTER ABORTING THE SECOND APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN BY GROUND WITNESSES COMING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE NOSE UP AND STALL. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED AND NO RECORDS WERE FOUND TO INDICATE THAT HE HAD ANY PREVIOUS INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1B1 Hudson NY at 8:00 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,451 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from HPN, 5 miles away
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.
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.