Beech F33A accident near Mattituck, New York, April 30, 1997
On April 30, 1997 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N6733Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mattituck, New York (Mattituck Airbase airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1997 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mattituck, New York · Mattituck Airbase · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N6733Y · registry record · serial CE-927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot observed the windsock before landing and was aware of a 'strong' southwesterly wind at 15 knots with 25 knot gusts. He made an approach to land on runway 19. During final approach, full flaps were selected, and an airspeed of 70 knots was maintained with an engine power setting of 15 to 16 inches of manifold pressure. The stall warning horn sounded intermittently throughout the final approach. The pilot stated that during the landing, he encountered wind shear, followed by the airplane settling to the runway on the left wing, nose gear, and propeller. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of a mechanical malfunction, nor did the pilot report any.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 1,430 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,056 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1996; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Destination: 21N
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,200 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from FOK, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC97LA082.