Tangier Island Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tangier Island, Virginia 23440
Tuesady, April 11, 1995 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED A 45 MINUTE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 02 AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO VEER LEFT, AND THE PILOT ABORTED THE LANDING. THE PILOT INITIATED A CLIMB AND ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A 2-INCH DIAMETER TREE; THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. WINDS REPORTED AT AN AIRPORT 26 MILES AWAY WERE FROM 050 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an inflight collision with a tree. Contributing factors are a crosswind and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TANGIER ISLAND
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23440
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TANGIER ISLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TGI
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 7
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID WAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 41
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 623
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N331DF
NTSB Number NYC95LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20K
Aircraft Series Identifier M20K
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0003
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 3793
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DEBONAIRE FLYERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1196 MUIR FIELD
Aircraft Owner City WESTCHESTER
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19382
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 No
Departure Airport Code 40N
Departure City COATSVILLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TGI
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 2
Runway Length 2950
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --