Chester Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chester, Connecticut 06412
Tuesady, October 7, 2008 19:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The accident flight was the first time the pilot was landing at the privately owned, publicly used airport, with non-standard runway lighting. The pilot was concerned with the runway length and steep drop-off at the end of the runways. The landing runway was 2,566 feet long, 50 feet wide, and was not equipped with a visual slope indicator. Upon his approach to the destination airport, the pilot noted that the runway lights were dim. The night was especially dark for the pilot, limiting his visual cues. The pilot landed hard, on up-sloping terrain, 6 feet short of where the runway’s pavement began. Both main landing gear brake system were damaged in the process. The pilot was not able to brake or steer the airplane. The airplane veered off to the left, went through a fiberglass fence, and down an embankment before coming to a stop into several pine trees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to obtain the proper touchdown point while landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s inexperience landing at the airport, night conditions, and non-standard runway lighting.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1940
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Chester
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06412
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412303N
Event Location Longitude 0723021W
Event Location Airport Chester Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SNC
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2015 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SNC
Elevation of weather observation facility 416
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
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) 24604
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 15 2008 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record grer
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N889LD
NTSB Number ERA09CA007
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 CIRRUS DESIGN CORP
Aircraft Model SR20
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1434
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
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 Mar 13 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 949
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name EFP AVIATION LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2739 BROWNING DR
Aircraft Owner City VIRGINIA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23456-2532
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name David L. Spinazzolo
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Norfolk
Operator State VA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 23503
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 No
Departure Airport Code CPK
Departure City Chesapeake
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SNC
Destination City Chester
Destination State CT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 14 2008 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record grer
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 2566
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --