Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Rutland State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chittenden, Vermont 05737
Friday, January 25, 2002 17:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane collided with mountainous terrain during approach to the destination airport. While approaching the airport, the pilot requested vectors for a localizer approach to runway 19. Due to traffic, air traffic control (ATC) issued the pilot a holding clearance. The airplane was approaching the holding fix about 8,000 feet, when the pilot advised ATC that the airplane was picking up a little ice. ATC initially offered an amended clearance of 9,000 feet, but the pilot declined. Subsequently, he accepted the clearance and climbed back to 9,000 feet. ATC then told the pilot that after one more airplane had landed, he would be issued an approach clearance. The airplane was about 9,200 feet when the pilot replied "thank you." Review of radar data revealed that the accident airplane made one complete 360-degree turn, and one 270-degree turn on the non-holding side of the published holding pattern. During the two turns, the airplane descended to approximately 8,400 feet, climbed to 8,900 feet, then descended again to 8,300 feet. The two turns were tighter than the expected standard 2-minute turns in a holding pattern, with radii ranging from 0.3 to 0.4 nautical miles and 0.1 to 0.2 nautical miles respectively. Following the two holding turns, no more radio transmissions or radar returns were received by ATC. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Another pilot flying in the area reported moderate rime ice at 8,000 feet, but added that he climbed out of the ice and was between cloud layers at 9,000 to 10,000 feet.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while holding.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/25/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1710 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Chittenden |
| Event State | VERMONT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 05737 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 434910N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0725332W |
| Event Location Airport | Rutland State Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RUT |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 18 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 24 |
| Airport Elevation | 787 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1715 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 204 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RUT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 787 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| 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) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13605 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 25 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1830 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 1 2003 9:44AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland, ME |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N104CS |
| NTSB Number | NYC02FA051 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Smith |
| Aircraft Model | Aerostar 601P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 61P-0404-141 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6000 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 17 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1780 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Laurel Mt Aerostar |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ebensburg |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 15931 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Timothy A. Patrick |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Ebensburg |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 15931 |
| 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 | JST |
| Departure City | Johnstown |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RUT |
| Destination City | Rutland |
| Destination State | VT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - holding (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 16 2003 11:57AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 19 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |