Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxford, Connecticut 06748
Sunday, May 23, 2004 21:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot received a weather briefing for the night IFR flight, which included advisories for thunderstorms. The takeoff, climb, and cruise portions of the flight were uneventful. While approaching the destination airport, the pilot was informed that the control tower was closing, and an airplane ahead of him had just successfully landed. The pilot was provided the current weather at the destination airport, which included scattered clouds at 200 feet and a visibility of 2 miles. After being cleared for the ILS approach, the airplane intercepted the localizer course, crossed the final approach fix at 2,700 feet, and radar coverage was lost about 1,900 feet. Witnesses on the ground reported seeing the airplane flying low, near a thunderstorm and fog. The airplane's engine revved to high power as it descended into trees about 1/2-mile short of the runway, and 1,000 feet right of extended centerline. Weather reports confirmed precipitation and lightning near the destination airport about the time of the accident. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance during an instrument approach, which resulted in a collision with trees prior to the runway. Factors were nighttime conditions and cloud cover.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2108
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Oxford
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06748
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412744N
Event Location Longitude 0730740W
Event Location Airport Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OXC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 726
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2115 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OXC
Elevation of weather observation facility 726
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
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) 17344
NTSB Notification Source FAA NEROC
NTSB Notification Date May 23 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Windsor Locks, CT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5763W
NTSB Number NYC04FA127
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 Mooney
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1472
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 21 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 1244
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Koalair LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Watertown
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06795
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Bruce E. Alspach
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Watertown
Operator State CT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 06795
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 BTV
Departure City Burlington
Departure State VT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code OXC
Destination City Oxford
Destination State CT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - Initial approach fix (IAF) to final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker (IFR)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --