Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vestal, New York 13850
Tuesady, June 29, 1993 15:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. TEN MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A DESCENDING SPIRAL, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, OVER AN AREA WHERE FORCED LANDINGS WERE PRACTICED. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE LEVELING OFF AS IT WENT BEHIND A HILL TOP, THEN HEARD THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRING, FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE STUDENT PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE WAS PERFORMING HIS OWN MAINTENANCE. THIS INCLUDED CHANGING ENGINE PISTONS AND RINGS. NUMEROUS FUEL STAINS WERE OBSERVED OVER SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE SCREW WAS SET TO THE MAXIMUM LEAN CONDITION. DUCT TAPE AND ELECTRICAL TAPE HAD BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY FOR REPAIRS ON THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION FROM A FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY UNQUALIFIED PERSONNEL, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1525
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VESTAL
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13850
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID BGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1636
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1806
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5932L
NTSB Number NYC93FA133
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 American General Aircraft
Aircraft Model AA-1
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-1
Aircraft Serial Number 0232
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 2 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 89
Airframe Hours 1718
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID W. FORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12 TALCOTT STREET
Aircraft Owner City OWEGO
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13827
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N17
Departure City ENDICOTT
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --