Piper PA-18-150 accident near Hancock Village, New York, April 28, 1991
On April 28, 1991 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N102LW, was destroyed in an accident near Hancock Village, New York (White Brich airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TREES AFTER THE PILOT BECAME PHYSICALLY INCAPACITATED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1991 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hancock Village, New York · White Brich · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N102LW · registry record · serial 18-4383
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PASSENGER STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT WHILE APPROACHING THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT DID NOT TURN TOWARD THE RUNWAY AND BEGAN DESCENDING INTO THE TREES. THE PASSENGER ADDED 1/2 POWER BUT THE PILOT REDUCED THE POWER. THE PASSENGER THEN ATTEMPTED TO GAIN CONTROL USING THE CONTROL STICK, HOWEVER, IT WAS 'NOT FREE' AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES. POST MORTEM EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT REVEALED EVIDENCE OF CORONARY ARTERIOSCLEROSIS.
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: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,118 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1991; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.