Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
North Caanan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New Marlboro, Massachusetts 01230
Sunday, July 31, 2005 17:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The weather was deteriorating as the pilot approached his destination airport. Approximately 20 miles from his destination, the previously scattered cloud layer became solid and blocked off the view of the sky. Approximately 7 miles from his destination, the pilot observed lightning several miles to the southeast. The pilot thought the storm "was well south" of his current position, and he elected to continue to his destination. He further stated "...not many seconds later, I was in the storm with torrential rain, lightning within 3 miles, and heavy turbulence....". The pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing to a field, on slight uphill terrain. While on approach to the south, the pilot reduced the engine power, and the airplane developed a high sink rate. The pilot added power; however, the airplane landed hard, and was substantially damaged. After the accident, the pilot noted that the winds were strong, and probably from the north, with the possibility of downdrafts and wind shear. A weather observation taken at an airport located about 30 miles east-southeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included the remarks: "LTG DSNT SW AND W."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper weather evaluation which resulted in a precautionary off airport landing; and his improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. A factor in this accident was weather associated with thunderstorm activity.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/31/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1700 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | New Marlboro |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 01230 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 420539N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0731816W |
| Event Location Airport | North Caanan |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CT24 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 658 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BAF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 271 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 11000 |
| 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) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| 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) | 30.2 |
| 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) | 18645 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NE ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 1 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2005 6:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Windsor Locks |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1003G |
| NTSB Number | NYC05CA127 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Yakovlev |
| Aircraft Model | 55M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1003 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 780 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Drew M. Hurley |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Somerset |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 08873 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | ORE |
| Departure City | Orange |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CT24 |
| Destination City | North Canaan |
| Destination State | CT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 1 2005 11:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |