Orange Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orange, Massachusetts 01364
Sunday, October 24, 1999 10:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The tailwheel-equipped airplane made an uneventful approach. Upon touchdown, the wind shifted about 50 degrees, and pushed the tail to the left. The airplane then ground-looped to the right, and departed the runway. The active runway was changed to the opposite direction immediately after the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a sudden wind shift.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ORANGE
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01364
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ORANGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORE
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 555
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 952 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORE
Elevation of weather observation facility 555
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 922
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 25 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 933
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7118H
NTSB Number NYC00LA017
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-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-715
Certified Max Gross Weight 1780
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 682
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN ARSENAULT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 39 MIRIMICHI ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FOXBORO
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02035
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 No
Departure Airport Code 1B9
Departure City MANSFIELD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORE
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 19
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --