Niagara Falls Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Niagara Falls, New York
Saturday, October 14, 1989 16:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE RUN-UP AREA, THE PILOT HAD DELAYED HIS TAKEOFF UNTIL THE WIND SUBSIDED CHECKING WITH GROUND CONTROL EVERY FEW MINUTES FOR WIND DIRECTION & VELOCITY. WHEN THE WIND HAD SUBSIDED HE INITIATED THE TAKEOFF. HE WAS GIVEN THE WIND AS 350 AT 16 KTS BY THE TOWER. DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN AND THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY INTO SOFT TURF COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE CONTROL TOWER REPORTED THAT A STRONG WIND GUST OCCURRED PRIOR TO ROTATION. THE 1647 WINDS WERE REPORTED AS 010 AT 25 KTS, GUSTING 33 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF ROLL DUE TO STRONG WIND GUSTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NIAGARA FALLS
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NIAGARA FALLS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IAG
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 590
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1777
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1723
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40834
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 N7930V
NTSB Number NYC90LA012
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180H
Aircraft Series Identifier 180H
Aircraft Serial Number 18051830
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Jan 28 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 1812
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD A. FULLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9901 CALLOWOODS DR.
Aircraft Owner City CANFIELD
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44406
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 IAC
Departure City NIAGARA FALLS
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
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 6
Runway Length 5056
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --