North Canaan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheffield, Massachusetts 01257
Friday, October 25, 1996 17:24 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A pilot had flown the airplane on a local flight and stated that he had no mechanical problems with the airframe or engine. A second pilot, a certificated commercial pilot, then got into the airplane for a flight. The first pilot observed the airplane takeoff to the north, then level off before he lost sight of it. Witnesses observed the airplane bank left and right, followed by the airplane rolling upside down. When the airplane reached the inverted position, it began a gradual descent, followed by a near vertical descent, and impacted in a river in nose down attitude. The second pilot stated that he had banked to the left to depart the traffic pattern. He stated that he thought he observed another airplane in close proximity, and banked back to the right. The pilot felt the airplane shudder and recalled being inverted, but could not recall anything after that point. The second pilot stated he thought that the airplane had stalled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's abrupt control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and subsequent in-flight collision with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1724
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SHEFFIELD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01257
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTH CANAAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CT24
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 680
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2145 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID BAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 271
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1925
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 25 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:24AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2571Z
NTSB Number IAD97LA012
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 Bellanca
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 347-77
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Apr 1 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 101
Airframe Hours 2134
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STANLEY J. SEGALLA
Aircraft Owner Street Address ASHLEY FALLS ROAD, BOX 179
Aircraft Owner City NORTH CANAAN
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06018
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 CT24
Departure City NORTH CANAAN
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff
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 36
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --