Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mahopac Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mahopac, New York 10541
Thursday, July 2, 1998 20:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private pilot was giving flight instruction to a student pilot in the airplane when the engine lost power. According to the pilot, after a simulated 'engine out' approach to the runway, the student pilot (SP) applied power to go around. About 50 to 100 feet above the trees located at the end of the runway, the pilot heard a loud 'screeching' sound, which was followed by a loss of engine power. During the forced landing, the airplane struck trees, spun around and impacted the ground. The airplane's engine continued to operate after the impact, but the propeller was not turning. Examination of the uncertified engine revealed, the crankshaft had separated between the front and rear cylinder. The pilot was operating the aircraft as an ultralight; however the FAA determined it was an unregistered experimental airplane. The pilot possessed a certificated repairman license for the airplane and stated he inspected the airplane according to manufacturer's recommendations. He did not possess an airframe or powerplant license. The engine manufacturer operating maual indicates the engine is uncertified and states in part 'This engine, by its design, is subject to sudden stoppage! ..Never fly the aircraft equipped with this engine at locations, airspeeds, altitudes, or other circumstances from which a successful no-power landing cannot be made, after sudden engine stoppage.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the engine crankshaft, which resulted in a loss of engine power, and the pilot's improper decision to conduct flight over terrain unsuitable for the completion of a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/2/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2030 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | MAHOPAC |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 10541 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | MAHOPAC |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | N77 |
| 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 | 700 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DXR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 458 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1187 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 8 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 11:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | NONE |
| NTSB Number | NYC98LA140 |
| 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 | Fithian |
| Aircraft Model | FALCON XP |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | FALCON XP |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 600178 |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 1 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 75 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MICHEL FITHIAN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 155 OSCAWANA LAKE RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | PUTNAM VALLEY |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 10579 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | N77 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1930 |
| 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 | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 10 |
| Runway Length | 1800 |
| Runway Width | 65 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |