Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Allaire Airport, New Jersey 07727
Sunday, September 10, 1989 18:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ESTIMATED 50 TO 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. HE ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT AND INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD ON AN AIRPORT ACCESS ROAD, 'FLATTENED THE LANDING GEAR...' AND SKIDDED INTO A SANDY DITCH. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN ON TWO BRIEF LOCAL FLIGHTS EARLIER IN THE DAY, AND BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY DURING THOSE FLIGHTS. INVESTIGATORS WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1817
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ALLAIRE AIRPORT
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07727
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
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 159
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID WRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 143
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2316
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42387
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31549
NTSB Number NYC89DHM05
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 WOODS
Aircraft Model FORMULA VEE SL-1
Aircraft Series Identifier FORMULA VE
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 750
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 132
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES TERRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 131 BOXWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City KINGS PARK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11754
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD LEONARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 195 RAYMOND ST.
Operator City HILLSDALE
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07642
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 BLM
Departure City ALLAIRE AIRPORT
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --