Westmoreland County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650
Sunday, May 30, 1999 9:49 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot attempted to make his first flight in his homebuilt airplane. The airplane lifted off the runway, and immediately landed back on the runway. He reported engine problems to the tower and taxied back to parking. The next day, the pilot made his second attempt at his first flight. He lifted off the runway, the aircraft wobbled, banked left, and collided into a hillside. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies. The pilot's logbook indicated a total of 141 flight hours, with no entries of flight in the experimental airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 949
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LATROBE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15650
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport WESTMORELAND COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LBE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 1185
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID LBE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1185
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1657
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2DF
NTSB Number IAD99LA046
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Poskus
Aircraft Model REVELATION
Aircraft Series Identifier REVELATION
Aircraft Serial Number 98008
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID D. POSKUS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 5 BOX 118-P
Aircraft Owner City GREENSBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15601
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code LBE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 948
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3595
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --