Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxford, Connecticut 06483
Sunday, December 20, 1992 15:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31. THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEM (AWOS) REPORTED WINDS FROM 300 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE LOST ALTITUDE AND LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RECOVERY BY APPLYING POWER. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO PORPOISE, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO THE GRASS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LEVEL OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WERE WIND GUSTS AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City OXFORD
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06483
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATERBURY-OXFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OXC
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 727
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID BDR
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 770
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48234
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5135L
NTSB Number NYC93LA053
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number PA-28-4418
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Dec 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 4724
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK A. RINALDI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 118 PULLEN AVE
Aircraft Owner City OAKVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06779
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRANK A. RINALDI
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 118 PULLEN AVE
Operator City OAKVILLE
Operator State CT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06779
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code OXC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OXC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 1999
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --