Wurtsboro-Sullivan County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wurtsboro, New York 12790
Saturday, August 9, 1997 11:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off in his homebuilt airplane and remained in the traffic pattern. The airplane maintained its altitude throughout the pattern, and descended on final to reach the approach end of the runway at a low altitude and high rate of speed. About two thirds of the way down the runway, the nose of the airplane raised and the airplane began to climb. About 100 AGL, the airplane commenced a left roll. When the airplane was inverted, the nose dropped below the horizon and the airplane began to descend. As the roll continued, the rate of descent increased, and the airplane impacted the ground in a 30-45 degree right wing down and 30 degrees nose down attitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot performed an aerobatic maneuver and misjudged the altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1135
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WURTSBORO
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12790
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WURTSBORO-SULLIVAN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N82
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 560
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID SWF
Elevation of weather observation facility 491
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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) 1771
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1250
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4YC
NTSB Number IAD97LA108
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 Riekkenen
Aircraft Model RYELONG LE
Aircraft Series Identifier RYELONG LE
Aircraft Serial Number 854
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 24 1997 12:00AM
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 MARTTI A. RIEKKINEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 67-49A 192ND STREET
Aircraft Owner City FRESH MEADOWS
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11365
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 N82
Departure City
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code N82
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 23
Runway Length 3577
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --