Tweed-New Haven Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Haven, Connecticut 06512
Saturday, December 4, 1993 18:57 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 30 MIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT WAS ADVISED TO EXPECT AN ILS RWY 2, AND HE BEGAN RECEIVING VECTORS FOR THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. AT 8 MIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND ABOUT 12 MI FROM THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR ILS RWY 2 TO CIRCLE TO RWY 20. AT ABOUT 2 MI FROM THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX THE PILOT WAS AGAIN CLEARED FOR THE ILS RWY 2 TO CIRCLE TO RWY 20. WHILE ON THE LOCALIZER THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED 'CIRCLING TO AH TO TWO ZERO.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER 4.5 MI FROM THE AIRPORT. AN ATR-42 PILOT WHO HAD JUST LANDED STATED THAT CONDITIONS WERE 'ROUGH AND TURBULENT, ESPECIALLY AT TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE.' THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING 4-1/2 MOS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A NIGHT APPROACH IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DARK NIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE RADAR CONTROLLER'S VECTORING OF THE PILOT TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATC PROCEDURES, THE RADAR CONROLLER ISSUED THE PILOT AN ALTITUDE WHICH WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROCEDURES, AND THE RADAR CONTROLLER FAILED TO PROVIDE RADAR MONITORING AS OUTLINED IN IN ATC HANDBOOK 7110.65H.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1857
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEW HAVEN
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06512
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TWEED-NEW HAVEN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HVN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 200
Airport Elevation 14
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HVN
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1848
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1488X
NTSB Number NYC94FA033
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7535297
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 9 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3198
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 50 THOMPSON AVE.
Aircraft Owner City WEST HAVEN
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06516
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 No
Departure Airport Code ACK
Departure City NANTUCKET
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1722
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 20
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --