Piper 180 accident near Andes, New York, April 6, 1991
On April 6, 1991 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper 180, registered N9006J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andes, New York (None airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A LANDING WITH UNFAVORABLE WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1991 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Andes, New York · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 180
- Registration
- N9006J · no longer on the register · serial 28 3031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRPORT, WHEN JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED AN UPDRAFT. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND AND RAISED THE FLAPS TO 25 DEGREES. THE PILOT SAID, 'FULL POWER WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO INITIATE A GO AROUND...THE PLANE MOVED OUT OF THE SHELTER OF TREES...EXPOSING THE AIRCRAFT TO A CROSSWIND. I DECIDED AT THAT POINT THAT I HAD LITTLE CHANCE OF CLIMBING OUT. I DROPPED A NOTCH OF FLAPS AND THE PLANE SET DOWN ON THE STRIP, BUT IN A LEFTWARD DRIFT, WHERE IT CLIPPED A SMALL TREE ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, SPUN AROUND AND CAME TO A HALT AFTER A 180 DEGREE SPIN.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- 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: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.