Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montgomery, New York 12549
Thursday, February 26, 1987 15:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES IN THE VICINITY OF ACTIVE AIRPORTS. THE CESSNA 402 WAS IN A CRUISE DESCENT, THE DECATHLON WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT. NEITHER PILOTS IN THE 402 RECALLS SEEING THE DECATHLON, WHICH WAS STRUCK ON THE RT WING. THE DECATHLON PLT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID THE COLLISION HEAD ON. THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE MID-AIR COLLISION THEY WERE OCCUPIED WITH WATCHING A MILITARY C5A TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS OPERATING IN THE SAME AREA. AFTER HEARING AN EXPLOSION IN THE NOSE AREA OF THE ACFT, THE CREW ELECTED TO RETURN TO TETERBORO AIRPORT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MONTGOMERY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12549
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 0
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 15000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1876
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 26 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N36139 N3252M
NTSB Number NYC87FA098A NYC87FA098B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 402 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 402 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 402C0297 10573
Certified Max Gross Weight 6850 1800
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 2
Number of Engines 2 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 1987 12:00AM Aug 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6 20
Airframe Hours 2013 1800
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Unknown No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name ADESTRA AVIATION CO. JAMES WHITEFORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 33 HUDSON ST. 129 NORTH MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City HACKENSACK MONROE
Aircraft Owner State NJ NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Instructional Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code TEB
Departure City TETERBORO
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415 0
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SWF
Destination City NEWBURGH
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34 0
Runway Length 6006 0
Runway Width 150 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --