Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Plateau Sky Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Edinburg, New York 12134
Sunday, September 29, 2013 15:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On September 29, 2013, about 1555 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur built Cowper Pitts Special S-1E, N85AT, was destroyed following a collision with terrain after an in-flight loss of control near Edinburg, New York. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Plateau Sky Ranch Airport (1F2) at the time of the accident.
According to witnesses, shortly after takeoff, the pilot initiated a turn back in the direction of the airport. The bank angle increased and the airplane disappeared behind a tree line. The sound of increasing engine noise was heard immediately prior to impact. The airplane crashed in a wooded area, southwest of the airport.
An inspector with the federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. A majority of the wreckage was consumed by a post-crash fire. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to the elevator and rudder. Continuity to the ailerons could not be established due to impact and fire damage. One propeller blade was curled in a forward direction.
The pilot held an experimental aircraft builder certificate and was the registered builder of the accident aircraft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/29/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1555 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Edinburg |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 12134 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Plateau Sky Ranch Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 1F2 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 210 |
| Airport Elevation | 1070 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GFL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 328 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| 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 |
| 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 | Oct 30 2013 4:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N85AT |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA434 |
| 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 | TIMOTHY J COWPER |
| Aircraft Model | PITTS SPECIAL S-1E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | NO SERIES |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 8-0073 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| 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 | COWPER TIMOTHY J |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2815 SHAW RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | MIDDLE GROVE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 128501317 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | COWPER TIMOTHY J |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 2815 SHAW RD |
| Operator City | MIDDLE GROVE |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 128501317 |
| 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 | 1F2 |
| Departure City | Edinburg |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 1F2 |
| Destination City | Edinburg |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 30 2013 4:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 2400 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |