Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Pennsylvania 16505
Wednesday, November 13, 1991 14:03 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE TURNING BASE TO FINAL. WHILE IN THE TURN THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO OSCILLATE IN BOTH PITCH AND ROLL, AND THEN WENT INTO A DIVE. THE PILOT RECOVERED AT A LOW ALTITUDE, THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND STARTED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE NOSE LOW, AND IN A RIGHT TURN BEFORE IT IMPACTED. THERE WERE NO RECORDS FOUND TO INDICATE THE PILOT HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH TYPE OF AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LOW TIME AND EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1403
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ERIE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16505
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID ERI
Elevation of weather observation facility 735
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 735
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1846
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45724
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12VV
NTSB Number NYC92DGM01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WILLKINS-WAYNE
Aircraft Model VARI-VIGGEN
Aircraft Series Identifier VARI-VIGGE
Aircraft Serial Number 208
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 22 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 69
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE JACOBY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 867 BRYANT STREET
Aircraft Owner City RAHWAY
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07065
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE JACOBY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 867 BRYANT STREET
Operator City RAHWAY
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07065
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 ERI
Departure City ERIE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --