Piper PA-23-250 accident near Ashville, New York, November 11, 1995
On November 11, 1995, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N62620, was destroyed in an accident near Ashville, New York (Fairbank Farms airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance to the runway during an approach to land. Factors relating to the accident were: the night and adverse weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1995
- Place
- Ashville, New York · Fairbank Farms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N62620 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654092
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on final approach at night to runway 15 at a private airport. During the approach, the airplane struck a tall tree about 900 feet prior to the approach end of the runway. The airplane then struck additional trees before coming to rest, inverted in a reservoir, abeam of the approach end of the runway. Witnesses reported that the engines sounded normal. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the airplane or engines. There was a gusty crosswind from the right and rain was starting to fall. The runway was not equipped with a visual or electronic glideslope.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,534 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,921 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1995; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N70 Perkasie PA at 11:20 pm
- Destination: NY89
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from JHW, 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.