Brookhaven Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shirley, New York
Sunday, May 6, 1984 14:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CLIMBING WITH A GLIDER IN TOW, THE TOW ACFT PITCHED NOSE UP. THE GLIDER & TOW PLTS RELEASED THE TOW ROPE & THE GLIDER PLT LANDED SAFELY. THE TOW ACFT MAINTAINED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, STALLED, THEN ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LOWER ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CONTROL HORN. THE ATTACH BOLT WAS LOCATED WITH ONLY ITS TIP IN THE HOLE OF THE LOWER CONTROL HORN. THE ASSOCIATED NUT & COTTER PIN WERE NOT FOUND. THE ACFT LOG SHOWED THAT AN ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ABOUT 30 FLT HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. AT THAT TIME, THE CONTROLS WERE LUBRICATED & CHECKED & THE AIRFRAME WAS RE-COVERED WITH FABRIC. THE PLT'S LAST BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW WAS ON 2/7/82.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SHIRLEY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BROOKHAVEN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1N1
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 81
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1305 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID ISP
Elevation of weather observation facility 99
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2642
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26588
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4410Z
NTSB Number NYC84FA158
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8743
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 16 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 3516
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LONG ISLAND SOARING ASSN. INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 719 MIDDLE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BAYPORT
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11705
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1N1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 4325
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --