None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenland, New Hampshire 03840
Sunday, July 9, 2000 13:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot attempted to takeoff off on an up-sloping, 2,000-foot long turf runway, with 50-foot high utility wires at the departure end. The airplane struck the utility wires, and came to rest in a field. After the accident, the pilot stated that the airplane's gross weight was high, and he would have avoided the accident if he had departed on the opposite runway. The passenger stated that the gross weight was in excess of the aircraft limitations. He further stated that the engine performed well; but the up-sloping, 2,000-foot long turf runway, and 50-foot obstacles at the departure end, were factors in the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot-in-command's improper decision to takeoff uphill, on a short runway with 50-foot high utility wires at the end, at a high gross weight. Factors were the high weight and uphill terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENLAND
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03840
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport NONE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID PSM
Elevation of weather observation facility 100
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6057U
NTSB Number NYC00LA186
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 Helfer
Aircraft Model FLIGHTSTAR II
Aircraft Series Identifier FLIGHTSTAR
Aircraft Serial Number 217
Certified Max Gross Weight 950
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL HELFER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 77 ROUTE 6
Aircraft Owner City BALDWIN PLACE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10505
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1350
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --