Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wurtsboro, New York 12790
Tuesady, July 30, 2013 16:32 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he took off from the surface of the lake in the light-sport floatplane into a 9-knot wind. Once the airplane climbed above the treetops, the pilot initiated a left turn and retracted the flaperons “simultaneously.” At that time, the control wheel rotated left, and the pilot was unable to return the wheel to the “neutral” position. The airplane continued in a descending left turn and collided with trees and terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and the tail section. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The Pilot Operating Handbook states that flaperons extension are not recommended in a crosswind of 9 or more knots and that the airplane should be at an altitude of 500 feet after takeoff before flaperon retraction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to comply with the manufacturer’s limitations and guidance regarding flaperons usage at low altitude and in adverse wind conditions, which resulted in an in-flight loss of airplane control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/30/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1632 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wurtsboro |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 12790 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 413611N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0743219W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 296 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MSV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1403 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.17 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KMSV 302055Z AUTO 26009KT 10SM BKN070 23/11 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32880 |
| 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 1 2014 2:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N912FP |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA346 |
| 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 | FPNA LLC |
| Aircraft Model | A-22 VALOR |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | H035 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 16 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 161 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert N. Pullman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wurtsboro |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 12790 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Robert N. Pullman |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Wurtsboro |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 12790 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Wurtsboro |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1631 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Wurtsboro |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 1 2014 2:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |