Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chateaugay, New York 12920
Saturday, July 18, 1998 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight on the last leg of a solo cross country flight, the student pilot felt a bump, and the airplane starting to descend. The pilot added power and the engine responded, but the rate of descent increased to 1,500 feet per minute. With his headset removed, the pilot heard the stall warning horn slightly buzzing in the back ground, even though he was at cruise airspeed with cruise power applied. The pilot could move the yoke forward, but once repositioned, it could not be moved aft. With only partial control of the airplane's pitch attitude, the pilot elected to conduct an emergency landing to a road. On final, the airplane hit a set of powerlines then impacted the road, crushing the landing gear, and breaking the pilot's back. The airplane then slid off the road into ditch. The pilot experienced no problems with the engine, and it responded to throttle movements. After the accident, flight control continuity for the elevator and rudder was established. Control continuity for both ailerons was also established.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Binding in the control yoke for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHATEAUGAY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12920
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 124
Weather Observation Facility ID BTV
Elevation of weather observation facility 334
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
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) 29
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) 1190
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1342
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 N155AA
NTSB Number NYC98LA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 17258838
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 4624
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL W. REED
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR3 BOX 3433
Aircraft Owner City VERGENNES
Aircraft Owner State VT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 05491
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MAL
Departure City MALONE
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1755
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FSO
Destination City HIGHGATES
Destination State VT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --