Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Westchester County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Armonk, New York 10504
Monday, December 31, 2001 16:16 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane departed on an IFR flight in VFR conditions. The takeoff, climbout, and initial cruise were normal. Approximately 35 minutes into the flight, ATC advised the pilot he was off course. The pilot responded he was trying to rejoin the airway. The controller instructed him to fly a heading, and when able, to proceed direct to the next VOR on his route. The controller also advised the pilot of a possible mode "C" problem. Radio contact was then lost for about 20 minutes. When contact was reestablished, the pilot reported having electrical problems, and that his radios were intermittent. The pilot added that he was climbing to 8,500 feet, and continuing to his destination, which was approximately 180 miles away. That was the last recorded transmission from the accident airplane. About 30 minutes later and approximately 110 miles short of his planned destination, the pilot started maneuvering to land at a local airport. The pilot of another airplane witnessed the airplane in a steep bank, just before the accident. The airplane impacted in a parking lot, and was partially consumed in a post crash fire. Examination of the wreckage revealed the airplane was configured for approach, and the landing gear was down. No preimpact failures were identified with the wreckage. Maintenance records showed that the airplane had failed an IFR certification inspection about 2 months before the accident, and that the wiring behind the instrument panel was "extremely bad." Examination of the alternator revealed that the brushes were worn asymmetrically consistent with a partial short in the rotor, or a rough slip ring. From the time the pilot first lost radio contact until the accident, the airplane passed within 25 nautical miles of approximately 20 public airports.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/31/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1616 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Armonk |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 10504 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410649N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0734305W |
| Event Location Airport | Westchester County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HPN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3.66 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 356 |
| Airport Elevation | 439 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1632 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 176 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HPN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 439 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 11837 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 31 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1800 |
| 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 | Farmingdale |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2173W |
| NTSB Number | NYC02FA044 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Raytheon |
| Aircraft Model | BE-23-B24R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | MC-265 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 16 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 100 |
| Airframe Hours | 3877 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Mahmoud Kanj-Elassafiri |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Malden |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02148 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Clarence J. James |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Dover |
| Operator State | NH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 03820 |
| 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 | PSM |
| Departure City | Portsmouth |
| Departure State | NH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PNE |
| Destination City | Philadelphia |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2002 9:38AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16 |
| Runway Length | 6548 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |