Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Catskill, New York 12526
Thursday, May 2, 2013 16:29 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On May 2, 2013, about 1629 eastern daylight time a Grumman, G44 seaplane, N8AS, was substantially damaged when it impacted the waters of the Hudson River, near Catskill, New York. The certificated airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, which departed from B Flat Farm Airport (3NK8), Copake, New York about 1600.
Approximately 25 witnesses were interviewed. Descriptions varied between witness statements as to the altitude, direction of flight, and velocity of the airplane; however, the preponderance of witness statements were that the airplane was first observed flying southbound low above the Hudson River and the airplane's engines could heard to be running. The airplane then made a 180 degree left turn until it had reversed direction and was flying in a northerly direction. The airplane descended, leveled off, entered a left bank then struck the water with the left pontoon and nose, nosed over, caught fire, and then sank, coming to rest on the bottom of the Hudson River in 20 to 25 feet of water.
Examination of the area of the river where the airplane sank utilizing side scan sonar revealed that an approximately 250 foot long debris field oriented on a 039 degree magnetic heading which contained the major components of the airplane was present on the river bottom. Preliminary examination of wreckage recovered from the debris field supported the witness statements, and revealed that the airplane had fragmented into multiple pieces during the impact sequence.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple ratings including a rating for airplane multi-engine sea. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on February 2, 2012. On that date, he reported that he had accrued 5,700 total hours of flight experience.
According to FAA and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 2006. The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed on May 25, 2012. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued 2,251 total hours of operation.
The wreckage was retained by the NTSB for further examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/2/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1629 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Catskill |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 12526 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 420812N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0735416W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| 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 | 1651 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ALB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 285 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 29 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 9000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.29 |
| 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 Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 9 2013 4:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8AS |
| NTSB Number | ERA13FA225 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | GRUMMAN |
| Aircraft Model | G-44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1315 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4700 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 25 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2251 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BRAUNSTEIN MICHAEL B |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | CRARYVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 12521-0137 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BRAUNSTEIN MICHAEL B |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | CRARYVILLE |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 12521-0137 |
| 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 | 3NK8 |
| Departure City | Copake |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 3NK8 |
| Destination City | Copake |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 9 2013 4:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |