Sky Acres Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Millbrook, New York 12545
Sunday, August 24, 2008 11:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported 65 hours of experience in the special light sport airplane that he purchased new a few months prior to the accident. He applied power for takeoff and the airplane veered to the left. He attempted to maintain runway alignment with rudder and aileron inputs, but the airplane continued to veer left as it accelerated. The airplane crossed the parallel taxiway, struck a berm, became airborne, and collided with a hangar. The pilot stated that the engine continued to run after the airplane came to rest, and that he stopped the engine by "shutting off the master and the fuel." During a telephone interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot stated that he "panicked a little," and never reduced engine power during the takeoff roll or the accident sequence. The inspector stated that his examination of the airplane revealed operational cockpit controls, the throttle control in the full forward position, flight control continuity throughout, and no preimpact mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Millbrook
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12545
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414216N
Event Location Longitude 0734410W
Event Location Airport Sky Acres Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 44N
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 698
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID POU
Elevation of weather observation facility 698
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25707
NTSB Notification Source Teterboro FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 27 2009 10:22PM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Teterboro, NJ

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N281P
NTSB Number NYC08LA289
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 Europro CZ
Aircraft Model Eurofox
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24107
Certified Max Gross Weight 1235
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 65
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Donald E. Papineau
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Copake
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12516
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Donald E. Papineau
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Copake
Operator State NY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 12516
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 44N
Departure City Millbrook
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1145
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 44N
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2009 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3830
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --