Piper PA-25-260 accident near Crown Point, New York, August 2, 1994
On August 2, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-260, registered N4887Y, was destroyed in an accident near Crown Point, New York. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. OTHER RELATED FACTORS ARE CLOUD CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Crown Point, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-260 · all PA-25-260s on the register
- Registration
- N4887Y · no longer on the register · serial 25-4692
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING VIA A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO BROADCAST AND HE THEN DEPARTED ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT. EN ROUTE HE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. WHILE MANEUVERING TO RETURN TO HIS DEPARTURE POINT, HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CLOUD AND STRUCK TREES PRIOR TO REGAINING VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 773 hours in all; 575 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,460 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1994; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-G1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6B0 Middlebury VT at 4:00 am
- Destination: SLK Saranac Lake NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from PBG, 40 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.