Provincetown Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Provincetown, Massachusetts 02657
Friday, October 9, 1998 19:44 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot initiated an ILS approach in IMC conditions, at night, from over water. After tracking on the localizer and glideslope for part of the approach, the airplane entered a descent and leveled off at 100 feet for about 12 seconds prior to disappearing from radar. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the airplane. Both wings had sustained moderate impact damage. The outboard portion of the left wing was not recovered. The pilot had told approach control that if he missed, he would request the approach to a nearby airport. The navigation radio frequencies did not match the instrument approach flown, the missed approach, or the planned subsequent approach.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to follow the published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in inadvertent collision with water. Factors in the accident were the dark night and low ceiling.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1944
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PROVINCETOWN
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02657
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PROVINCETOWN MUNI AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 8
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1954 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID PVC
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
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 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) 1662
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2244
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7100L
NTSB Number NYC99FA012
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman American
Aircraft Model AA-5
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5
Aircraft Serial Number AA5-0600
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD SINZHEIMER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12 TRYWORK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City TRURO
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02666
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2 MANNING BLVD
Operator City ALBANY
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 12210
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 ALB
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1748
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 7
Runway Length 3498
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --