Montauk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montauk, New York 11954
Friday, July 4, 1997 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot flew a 15 minute local flight with a passenger in his homebuilt airplane, and returned to land at the departure airport. He entered a left downwind for runway 24, lowered the landing gear, and extended the speed brakes when he turned final. About 50 feet above the ground when he began to 'round out for the flair,' he encountered a gust of wind from the southeast. The pilot applied left 'stick and rudder,' full power, and raised the landing gear. When the pilot began to retract the speed brakes, he observed trees ahead of the airplane. The airplane continued to drift right and struck trees. Winds at an airport 18 miles to the southwest were from 230 degrees at 15, gusting to 25 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MONTAUK
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11954
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MONTAUK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MPT
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 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID HTO
Elevation of weather observation facility 55
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1005
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1324
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N280DM
NTSB Number NYC97LA134
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 Martin
Aircraft Model VELOCITY RG
Aircraft Series Identifier VELOCITY R
Aircraft Serial Number DMO-280
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 7 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 108
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL A. MARTIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6 WADING RIVER SQUARE, RT 25A
Aircraft Owner City WADING RIVER
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11792
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 MPT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 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 24
Runway Length 3480
Runway Width 85
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --