Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cherry Valley, New York 13320
Friday, August 11, 2000 20:20 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The day before the accident the pilot purchased the airplane. The next day, he departed on a cross-country flight to ferry the airplane home. On the flight prior to the accident, the pilot landed at the wrong airport without a clearance. Once on the ground, the pilot apologized to the tower controller, and advised the controller that he was out of fuel. The airplane was serviced and then departed on the accident flight. A witness at the accident site heard the airplane fly low over his house. He then heard an increase in engine rpm, which last about 2 seconds, and ended with a 'thud.' Weather at the site during the time of the accident was rainy, foggy, and dark, with the base of the clouds about treetop level. The pilot had no recent night flight experience, and did not hold an instrument rating. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have contributed to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to continue the flight into deteriorating weather, which resulted in his failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors in the accident were the dark night, fog, low ceiling, and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/11/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2020 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | CHERRY VALLEY |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 13320 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2050 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 329 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UCA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 743 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 44 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 11000 |
| 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) | 35 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| 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 | 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) | 697 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 11 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 10 2001 4:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9570L |
| NTSB Number | NYC00FA225 |
| 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 | Grumman American |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AA-5 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA5-0570 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | 4 |
| 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 | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RONALD WNUK |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 160 ROTTERDAM ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | SCHENECTADY |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 12306 |
| 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 | ITH |
| Departure City | ITHACA |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1930 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SCH |
| Destination City | SCHENECTADY |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 10 2001 4:06AM |
| 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 | -- |