Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sloatsburg, New York 10974
Sunday, August 13, 2000 18:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while flying in IMC, he was having difficulty with the autopilot. Specifically, he was having problems holding assigned headings, and engaging the autopilot. The airplane then began a rapid descent, but the pilot was able to recover once in VMC. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot experienced difficulty with another airplane. In that airplane, with a different model autopilot, he lost control while landing. According to representatives from the airplane and autopilot manufacturers, the pilot and owner complained about autopilot problems in the past. However, on at least two occasions prior to the accident flight, the owner or pilot of the airplane had been operating the autopilot while the airplane was outside the specifications for safe autopilot operation. Prior to the accident, three separate test flights did not reveal any malfunctions. After the accident, the pilot stated that he might have departed with the autopilot in the slaved nav heading disengaged mode. Subsequently, data retrieved from the autopilot did not indicate any malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SLOATSBURG
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10974
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 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID TEB
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2700
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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) 654
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 31 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 10 2001 4:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100XH
NTSB Number NYC00LA270
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E3249
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 9 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 141
Airframe Hours 141
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MONTAGE AVIATION CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 ELM STREET
Aircraft Owner City KEENE
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03431
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SIMON V. HABERMAND
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1 ELM STREET
Operator City KEENE
Operator State NH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 03431
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TEB
Departure City TETERBORO
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EEN
Destination City KEENE
Destination State NH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 10 2001 4:07AM
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 --