Piper PA-16 accident near Red Hook, New York, September 9, 1990
On September 9, 1990 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N5972H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Hook, New York (Sky Park 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 LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND DEPARTURE OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING ROLL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A TREE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPEREINCE IN THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1990 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Red Hook, New York · Sky Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N5972H · registry record · serial 16-596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A THREE POINT LANDING WAS BEING MADE ON RUNWAY 19. THE PILOT SAID, '...I HAD A LITTLE WEATHER VANE TO THE RIGHT, I CORRECTED TO THE LEFT BUT WITH A LITTLE TOO MUCH CAUSING ME TO LEAVE THE PAVEMENT ONTO THE GRASS.' AS HE TURNED LEFT TO AVOID STRIKING RUNWAY LIGHTS, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK A TREE AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, '...MORE TIME BY PIC WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ACCID [SIC] LOW TIME BY PIC.'
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: 172 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,586 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1989; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORE Orange MA at 3:40 pm
- Destination: 46N Red Hook NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,685 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.
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.