No fatalities

Airplane Strikes Trees During Landing in Heavy Rain

Greene, NY, United States

On May 21, 2011, a BEECH A23 operated by GREGORY ARTHUR A was involved in an aviation accident near Greene, NY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to continue a visual approach with low visibility and in heavy rain and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

During an attempted landing in heavy rain and low visibility, an airplane struck trees to the right of the runway, damaging the left wing and collapsing the landing gear before impacting the runway.

Accident Summary

A pilot reported that while attempting to land in heavy rain and low visibility, the airplane collided with trees located to the right side of the runway. After the initial tree impact, the airplane descended and hit the runway. The collision caused damage to the left wing, collapsed the landing gear, and substantially damaged the engine firewall.

Investigation Details

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector documented that the airplane's first impact with the ground occurred 68 feet from the point of tree impact. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunctions or failures were experienced with the airplane prior to the accident.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Response/compensation

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 21 May 2011 BEECH A23 accident near Greene, NY?

During an attempted landing in heavy rain and low visibility, an airplane struck trees to the right of the runway, damaging the left wing and collapsing the landing gear before impacting the runway.

Were there any fatalities in the 21 May 2011 BEECH A23 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 21 May 2011 involved a BEECH A23, operated by GREGORY ARTHUR A, at Greene, NY.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's decision to continue a visual approach with low visibility and in heavy rain and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees.