Chester Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chester, Connecticut 06412
Saturday, September 30, 1989 9:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS MAKING HIS INITIAL TEST FLIGHT OF HIS HOMEBUILT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT TURNED TO A DOWNWIND LEG AND LEVELED-OFF AT 300 FT AGL TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED INTO TREES. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING STEEPER THAN HE LIKES TO SEE, AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS 'SCREAMING' UNTIL IMPACT. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS TYPE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FLIGHT TIME IN THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 910
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHESTER
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06412
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 CHESTER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3B9
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 --
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 Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2404
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45148
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 N2079A
NTSB Number NYC89DNE03
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 HANCOCK
Aircraft Model MINI-MAX II
Aircraft Series Identifier MINI-MAX I
Aircraft Serial Number MK70
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRY P. HANCOCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3 HILLANDALE LANE
Aircraft Owner City WESTPORT
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06880
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 910
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --