Pittsfield Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201
Sunday, June 18, 1995 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS ACCUMULATING TIME ON A NEWLY INSTALLED ENGINE, AND THAT HE WAS PRACTICING ENGINE-OUT APPROACHES AND LANDINGS. DURING ONE ENGINE-OUT APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT, PITCHED NOSE DOWN, AND IMPACTED TREES. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT JUST PRIOR TO THE IMPACT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE RESTART. RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS BUILT OVER A YEAR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND THERE WAS NO RECORD OF AN AIRWORTHINESS/ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE ENGINE HAD ABOUT 5 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE WOODEN PROPELLER WAS SHATTERED. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS SHOWED THAT THE PILOT'S BLOOD CONTAINED 0.081 MCG/ML PROPOXYPHENE(DARVON) AND 0.428 MCG/ML NORPROPOXYPHENE(METABOLITE OF PROPOXYPHENE). THIS DRUG IS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain/regain control of the aircraft during the simulated engine-out procedure while on approach to landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PITTSFIELD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01201
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PITTSFIELD MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PSF
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 1194
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 323
Weather Observation Facility ID ALB
Elevation of weather observation facility 285
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 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) 1357
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N787DD
NTSB Number BFO95LA066
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 DRAKE
Aircraft Model MONI
Aircraft Series Identifier MONI
Aircraft Serial Number 00185
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 PAUL F DRAKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 280 GT BARRINGTON ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HOUSATONIC
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01236
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 PSF
Departure City
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Approach
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 26
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --