Rutland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sherburne, Vermont 05751
Saturday, January 19, 1991 13:44 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI RECEIVED A PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FORECAST MODERATE ICING CONDITIONS. HE TOOK OFF WITH A STUDENT, IN AN AIRPLANE EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED PITOT TUBE, BUT NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS. 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATIONS. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHEN HE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS. IN A POST CRASH INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED AUTOMATICALLY AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THEM, AND THIS CONDITION CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE STUDENT PILOT ON BOARD SAID THE CFI SUCCESSFULLY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND THE AIRPLANE STILL COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS WITH AN AIRPLANE NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND CONTACT WITH TREES IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOTS DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR MODERATE ICING, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE AIRPLANE'S LIMITATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/19/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1344
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SHERBURNE
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05751
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RUTLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RUT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 40
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
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 103
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43114
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N777CL
NTSB Number NYC91LA061
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7435242
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERALD P. HEALY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4216 OAKMOUNT ST.
Aircraft Owner City PHILADELPHIA
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19136
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GERALD P. HEALY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4216 OAKMOUNT ST.
Operator City PHILADELPHIA
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19136
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MPV
Departure City MONTPELIER
Departure State VT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 7MY
Destination City MOUNT HOLLY
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 --