Orange Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orange, Massachusetts 01364
Tuesady, August 6, 2013 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was departing for his first flight in the airplane. According to a statement provided by the pilot to the airport manager, the airplane was about 50 feet above ground level when the left wing dropped. The pilot reported that he attempted to correct the wing drop by manipulating the ailerons only; however, he was unsuccessful in leveling the airplane. He then applied left rudder while applying right aileron and the airplane began to spin to the left. The airplane impacted the ground in an approximate 10-degree nose down, left bank attitude, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. According to Federal Aviation Administration records and photographs of the Hobbs meter, the airplane had accumulated 8.9 hours in the 2 years since the pilot had purchased it. The pilot stated that these hours had been accumulated during taxi tests, and that the accident flight was his first attempt to fly the airplane. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of total flight experience in the accident airplane make and model.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/2013
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Orange
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01364
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423407N
Event Location Longitude 0721711W
Event Location Airport Orange Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 557
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORE
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
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) 31825
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 Sep 3 2013 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94454
NTSB Number ERA13CA354
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 STETSON NORMAN B
Aircraft Model CHALLENGER II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CH2-0587-B-0256
Certified Max Gross Weight 960
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DIAS ALESSANDRO W
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LEOMINSTER
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01453-3263
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name DIAS ALESSANDRO W
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City LEOMINSTER
Operator State MA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 01453-3263
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 ORE
Departure City Orange
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ORE
Destination City Orange
Destination State MA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 3 2013 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 4801
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --