Cessna P206A accident near Fishkill, New York, October 7, 1995
On October 7, 1995 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna P206A, registered N4704F, was destroyed in an accident near Fishkill, New York (Dutchess County airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were the fog and dusk light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1995 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Fishkill, New York · Dutchess County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206A · all P206As on the register
- Registration
- N4704F · no longer on the register · serial P206-304
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noninstrument-rated pilot had received several weather briefings which included 'VFR flight not recommended.' He then departed on a local positioning flight. A few minutes after departure he contacted a nearby control tower and requested permission to fly through their airspace. Two minutes later, he requested to land. He was advised to continue with the approach and report a left base. Witnesses heard the airplane flying low with a steady engine, followed by the impact. They reported that fog obscured the tops of the trees and reduced forward visibility to 50 yards. The airplane impacted trees on rising terrain 8 miles south of the airport. Although the ceiling and visibility had improved to marginal VFR at the departure airport, the planned destination remained in instrument 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,657 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 8, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 44N Millbrook NY at 10:20 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from POU, 8 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.