Pittsfield Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201
Saturday, September 28, 1996 9:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot/co-owner of the homebuilt amphibian airplane was flying a VFR flight from New Jersey to New Hampshire. While en route, the weather began to deteriorate, and the pilot elected to land at an uncontrolled airport in Massachusetts. After a radio call on the airport frequency, the pilot elected to land on runway 26. He estimated the winds were from 180 to 220 degrees at 10 gusting 12 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway and nosed over in a 'ravine.' The surface winds at the airport were reported to be from 140 to 360 degrees at 7 to 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The pilot received his en route and forecasted weather from a television station.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control, the airplane veering off the runway, and a subsequent nose over. The adverse wind condition and uneven terrain were related factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PITTSFIELD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01201
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1348
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 28 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1023
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N211KF
NTSB Number NYC96LA190
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 BINS
Aircraft Model KITFOX IV
Aircraft Series Identifier KITFOX IV
Aircraft Serial Number 1496
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 12 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 243
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLARD J. DELCAMBRE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 209 CLEM DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70503
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 N63
Departure City SUSSEX
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LCI
Destination City LACONIA
Destination State NH
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 26
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --