Piper PA-28-180 accident near Oxford, Connecticut, December 20, 1992
On December 20, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5135L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxford, Connecticut (Waterbury-Oxford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LEVEL OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WERE WIND GUSTS AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Connecticut · Waterbury-Oxford
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5135L · registry record · serial PA-28-4418
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31. THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEM (AWOS) REPORTED WINDS FROM 300 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE LOST ALTITUDE AND LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RECOVERY BY APPLYING POWER. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO PORPOISE, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO THE GRASS.
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: 1,006 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 907 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,724 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1992; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OXC at 7:20 pm
- Destination: OXC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,999 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BDR, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.