Riverside Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marcy, New York 13403
Thursday, September 28, 1989 16:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING HIS AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR BEFORE HE RETURNED TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AREA. THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE ENTERED A MIDFIELD CROSSWIND LEG AT AN ESTIMATED 800 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE RPM INCREASE AND DECREASE AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE AIRPORT, AND THEY DESCRIBED THE WINGS 'WOBBLING' OR 'TIPPING' BACK AND FORTH. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE NOISE DECREASED, THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED A SERIES OF SHALLOW BANK TURNS BEFORE THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE BANKED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A TWO TO THREE TURN SPIN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND THE CARBURETOR FUEL SCREEN WERE CONTAMINATED WITH THE REMAINS OF SEVERAL LARGE INSECTS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OTHER PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION/DIFFICULTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MARCY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13403
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIVERSIDE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4B2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 410
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2209
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41970
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N247D
NTSB Number NYC89DFA02
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 NIEDZIELSKI
Aircraft Model COOT-A
Aircraft Series Identifier COOT-A
Aircraft Serial Number AN-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 16 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED F. SAMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 35 ALLMAN PLACE
Aircraft Owner City NEW HARDFORD
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13413
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 4B2
Departure City MARCY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1535
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 Descent
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 14
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 46
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --