Hook Field Municipal Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Middletown, Ohio 45042
Monday, July 18, 1994 20:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A GYROCOPTER AND ULTRALIGHT COLLIDED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO DIFFERENT RUNWAYS. THE GYROCOPTER WAS ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 23 WHEN IT WAS STRUCK FROM THE LEFT SIDE BY THE ULTRALIGHT WHICH HAD CROSSED THE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 23 AND THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD FINAL FOR RUNWAY 26. WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED, THE GYROCOPTER WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER AND IN FRONT OF THE ULTRALIGHT. THE ULTRALIGHT DESCENDED AND CRASHED. THE PILOT OF THE GYROCOPTER MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE GRASS BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY. BOTH PILOTS KEPT THEIR AIRCRAFT AT THE AIRPORT AND WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT FACILITY DIRECTORY, RUNWAYS 23 AND 26 HAVE RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERNS. IN ADDITION, THE ULTRALIGHTS WERE NOT TO FLY SOUTH OF RUNWAY 26.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadequate visual lookout by both pilots which resulted in a mid-air collsion. A factor was the failure of the pilot of the ultralight to stay north of runway 26.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2055
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIDDLETOWN
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45042
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOOK FIELD MUNICIPAL ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MWO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 651
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID DAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2030
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 45
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N63EA NONE
NTSB Number NYC94LA130A NYC94LA130B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EDWARD A. ALDERFER UNKNOWN
Aircraft Model EAA-3 UNKNOWN
Aircraft Series Identifier EAA-3 UNKNOWN
Aircraft Serial Number 13132-2
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes Yes
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- --
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Apr 10 1994 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 8 --
Airframe Hours 663 --
ELT Installed No Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD A. ALDERFER RONALD DEATON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4278 SHAFOR ROAD 1001 NELBAR AVE
Aircraft Owner City HAMILTON MIDDLETOWN
Aircraft Owner State OH OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45011 45042
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code MWO MWO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030 2045
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MWO MWO
Destination City
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Approach
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23 26
Runway Length 6100 2984
Runway Width 100 300
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --