Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spencerport, New York 14559
Wednesday, December 5, 2001 13:43 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness observed the airplane about 200 feet above the ground, turning from base to final leg. It was in a steep bank, approximately 60 degrees. The witnessed remarked to his wife that the airplane was going to stall, and then he observed the airplane fly directly into the ground. The pilot was seriously injured, and did not recall the accident. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that the right wing aileron cable was not secured in a pulley groove. However, emergency personnel had severed the wings during the rescue effort, and the FAA inspector could not determine if the cable dislodged before the accident or during the rescue effort.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during approach to the airport, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/5/2001
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1343
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Spencerport
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14559
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID ROC
Elevation of weather observation facility 559
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11895
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 5 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2002 10:15AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Rochester, NY

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N916MG
NTSB Number NYC02LA034
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 Gillette
Aircraft Model Baby Ace
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number MG1
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 40
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark P. Gillette
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Spencerport
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14559
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 NONE
Departure City Spencerport
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 20 2002 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --