Northampton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Northampton, Massachusetts 01061
Tuesady, October 16, 2001 20:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was on approach for landing. According to the pilot, when the airplane was about 10 to 15 feet above the runway, the "airspeed got too slow" and the airplane dropped onto the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear, wings, and engine. The pilot said he did not experience and mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots' failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in a loss of control and a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Northampton
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01061
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 421941N
Event Location Longitude 0723641W
Event Location Airport NORTHAMPTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7B2
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 122
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1955 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID CEF
Elevation of weather observation facility 245
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11839
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Reg Com Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1542
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 4 2002 9:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Windsor Locks

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N811P
NTSB Number NYC02LA010
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172L
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17260298
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 30 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 9150
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name American Wings, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15 E North Street
Aircraft Owner City Dover
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Wagner Airways
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address Westcoat Drive
Operator City East Taunton
Operator State MA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 02718
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 No
Departure Airport Code TAN
Departure City TAUNTON
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 7B2
Destination City Northampton
Destination State MA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2002 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 3506
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --