Piper PA-24-250 accident near Montgomery, New York, October 3, 1994
On October 3, 1994, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8397F, was destroyed in an accident near Montgomery, New York (Orange County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate terrain clearance on final approach which resulted in a tree strike. Factors were the night conditions and the failure of the pilot to use the recommended runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1994
- Place
- Montgomery, New York · Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8397F · no longer on the register · serial 24-3656
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PILOT APPROACHED THE AIRPORT FOR A NIGHT LANDING, HE CONTACTED UNICOM. THE UNICOM OPERATOR STATED HE RADIOED THE PILOT, 'THE WINDS ARE DOWN RUNWAY 3 AT 040 DEGREES WIND DIRECTION, AT 2 KNOTS.' THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRANSMISSION. RUNWAY 3 IS EQUIPPED WITH VASI AND REIL LIGHTS. HE THEN DID AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26, WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH GLIDE PATH GUIDANCE, AND HAS A 565 FEET DISPLACED THRESHOLD. ABOUT 1475 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT NORMALLY FLEW WITH A SAFETY PILOT. WHEN INTERVIEWED, THE SAFETY PILOT REPORTED THE PILOT WAS NOT CONSIDERED 'SAFE' FOR NIGHT SOLO OPERATIONS. HE WOULD ALSO FORGET CHECKLIST ITEMS AND HAD MADE SHALLOW APPROACHES BEFORE. THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE TREE STRIKE AND DISPLACED THRESHOLD WAS 2.45 DEGREES.
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: 763 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1994; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4B0 South Bethlehem NY
- Destination: MGJ NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,672 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from SWF, 7 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.