Piper PA-28-161 accident near West Dover, Vermont, May 29, 1999
On May 29, 1999, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N717AV, was destroyed in an accident near West Dover, Vermont (Mount Snow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Was the failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing. Factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane, the variable winds, and night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1999
- Place
- West Dover, Vermont · Mount Snow
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N717AV · no longer on the register · serial 28-7716257
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Piper PA-28-161, was landing to the north, at night, touched down on the runway and then became airborne at the end of the runway over lower terrain. A witness saw the airplane in a nose high attitude with the engine running, after which it struck trees, and descended onto a golf course. A mountain ridge was located 3 miles to the northwest, with winds from the northwest. The airport was noted for variable winds and the VASI lights listed for the airport were inoperative. No malfunction was found with the airplane or engine. The pilot owned a multi-engine airplane that was not available. He checked out in a PA-28-236, and completed an equipment exam on the airplane. The PA-28-236 was not available and the pilot the PA-28-161. No evidence of any single engine flying in the preceding year, other than the checkout was found. The operator's rules allowed a person to take a less complex airplane (PA-28-161), in place of a more complex airplane (PA-28-236), but did not require an equipment exam on the less complex airplane.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,920 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 12, 1999; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 4V8
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.