Piper PA-60-600 accident near Colonie, New York, December 10, 1994
On December 10, 1994 at about 7:23 am local time, a Piper PA-60-600, registered N6069T, was destroyed in an accident near Colonie, New York. It was a positioning 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, POSSIBLY FROM FALLING ASLEEP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1994 · about 7:23 am local time
- Place
- Colonie, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N6069T · no longer on the register · serial 0674
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT AT NIGHT, CRUISING AT 6000 FT. ALSO, THE PILOT WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND WAS ON HIS 6TH FLIGHT AFTER REPORTING FOR DUTY AT 1530 EST. DURING A FREQUENCY CHANGE AND RADIO CHECK AT 0207 EST, THE PILOT'S RESPONSE WAS NORMAL. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT ABOUT 16 MINUTES LATER, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RIGHT TURN, THEN DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AT ABOUT 0222 EST AFTER ABOUT 255 DEGREES OF TURN. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN DESCENT; DEBRIS FROM THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND DOWN TO 6 FT BELOW THE SURFACE. DURING THE FINAL 15 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THERE WERE NO RADIO TRANSMISSIONS ON THE ASSIGNED FREQUENCY. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PROPELLER BLADES HAD S-CURVES OR WERE BENT FORWARD; THEY ALSO HAD LEADING EDGE IMPACT DAMAGE AND ROTATIONAL SCORING. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN IN EXCESS OF 120 HOURS (110 HRS AT NIGHT) IN THE PRECEDING 30 DAYS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT HE MAY HAVE LACKED CREW REST DURING THE DAY(S) BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,950 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 127 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,873 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 1994; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 6:27 am
- Destination: BUF Buffalo NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:40 am from ALB, 3 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.