Old Rhinebek Aerodrome Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rhinebeck, New York 12572
Saturday, June 2, 2001 17:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot initiated a takeoff in an airplane that he had never flown before. He rotated the tailwheel airplane about 400 feet down the 2,200-foot long dirt runway, and established a best rate of climb. About half way down the runway, the airplane "started losing a positive rate of climb," and began to descend. When the pilot realized the airplane would not clear trees at the departure end of the runway, he reduced power and lowered the nose of the airplane to perform a forced landing. The airplane impacted the ground "hard," near the end of the runway. The pilot reported 11,000 hours of total flight experience, and that there were no mechanical deficiencies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain climb, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1710
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Rhinebeck
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12572
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415817N
Event Location Longitude 0735146W
Event Location Airport Old Rhinebek Aerodrome
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NY94
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 323
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID POU
Elevation of weather observation facility 165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.65
Density Altitude (feet) 855
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13362
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Teterboro FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25SV
NTSB Number IAD01LA061
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STAMPE ET RENARD
Aircraft Model SV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 200-53
Certified Max Gross Weight 1890
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 Jul 1 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 2489
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gene Demarco
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City New Port Richey
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34654
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 NY94
Departure City Rhinebeck
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NY94
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 4 2002 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 180
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --