Riverside Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Utica, New York 13503
Wednesday, June 21, 1995 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT UPON ARRIVING AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT HE CHECKED FOR A WINDSOCK, BUT HE DID NOT SEE ONE SO HE DECIDED TO USE RUNWAY 32 AS HE HAD USED RUNWAY 33 AT HIS LAST DEPARTURE AIRPORT, ABOUT 50 MILES AWAY. DURING THE LANDING HE NOTICED THAT HE WAS LANDING WITH A TAILWIND, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE FOR THE LANDING SO HE DECIDED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. HE ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS, BUT THE FLAP HANDLE WENT TO THE FULL UP (RETRACTED) POSITION. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SINK AND THE TREES WERE GETTING CLOSER SO HE STALLED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, AND THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD 'BETTER PREPARATION OF PERFORMANCE ON A HOT HUMID DAY.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper retraction of the flaps.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City UTICA
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13503
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 RIVERSIDE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4B2
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 410
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 337
Weather Observation Facility ID UCA
Elevation of weather observation facility 743
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1201
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 21 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1950
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 N2423A
NTSB Number BFO95LA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0679
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 8 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1816
Airframe Hours 1816
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE E BARTH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 193A POPLER RIDGE RD.
Aircraft Owner City MEXICO
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13114
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE E BARTH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 193A POPLER RIDGE RD.
Operator City MEXICO
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 13114
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 NOO
Departure City OSWEGO
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4B2
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 32
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 45
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --