Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

East Moriches, New York 11940
Thursday, June 2, 1994 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN EYE-WITNESS LOCATED ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE, SAW THE GYROCOPTER ENTER A LEFT TURN AND DESCENDING SPIRAL. THE WITNESS LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IMPACT. THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROTORCRAFT ASSOCIATION REPORTED, '...[THE PILOT] STATED...THAT THE ROTORBLADES ON HIS MACHINE BECAME 'TWITCHY' AND MADE THE CONTROLS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE WHEN THE GYRO REACHED 55 MPH, AND THEREFORE HE DID NOT EXCEED 50 MPH....[THE PILOT] ALSO STATED TO FRIENDS...THAT HE HAD A 'HAIRY VIBRATION' AT TIMES AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE SOURCE OF THE VIBRATION....' THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED, '...THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AT THE CRASH SITE...AND ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE COULD BE DETECTED....'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the loss of control for undetermined reasons resulting in an uncontrolled descent and a subsequent collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City EAST MORICHES
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11940
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID ISP
Elevation of weather observation facility 99
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1348
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N263MP
NTSB Number BFO94LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PECCHIO
Aircraft Model MARCHETTI 263MP
Aircraft Series Identifier MARCHETTI
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARTIN L. PECCHIO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 191 LIBERTY STREET
Aircraft Owner City DEERPARK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11729
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1N2
Departure City
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --