Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salisbury, Connecticut 06068
Saturday, December 28, 1991 14:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SEVERAL WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE PERFORMING LOW ALTITUDE BUZZING AND AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND AFTER PERFORMING A NOSE HIGH MANEUVER. THE PILOT HAD 170 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN FIXED WING AIRPLANES. HE WAS A HELICOPTER PILOT WITH THE U. S. ARMY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE PERFORMING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS, RESULTING IN A STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM THESE MANEUVERS, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN FIXED WING AIRPLANES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SALISBURY
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06068
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 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) 1554
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45420
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3103E
NTSB Number NYC92FA052
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-6702
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN F. KEENA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 52 LOVERS LANE
Aircraft Owner City GROTON
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01450
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN F. KEENA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 52 LOVERS LANE
Operator City GROTON
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01450
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 4B9
Departure City SIMSBURY
Departure State CT
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 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 --