# Accident 20230528006349A: Luce Earl J Jr BUTTERCUP, Lyndonville, NY, May 28, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 28, 2023, 17:42 local time
- Place: Lyndonville, NY
- Airport: Gaines Valley Aviation
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.3133° N, 78.3139° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3133&lon=-78.3139&mi=10
- Aircraft: N18263, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18263) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Luce Earl J JR BUTTERCUP (registry code 05607DC, https://openairdocs.org/model/luce-earl-j-jr-buttercup) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUCE EARL J JR BUTTERCUP
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23FA204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA204) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230528006349A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NOTIFICATION OF THE ACCIDENT WAS RECIEVED BY THE RESPONDING INSPECTOR AT 19:21 ON 5/28/2023, AND WAS ON SCENE AT AROUND 20:45. ORLEANS COUNTY SHERIFF INVESTIGATORS WERE ON SCENE AS WELL AS LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL AND THE CORONER'S OFFICE. THE ACCIDENT VICTIMS WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REMOVED FROM THE WRECKAGE AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A POST CRASH FIRE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF FUEL SPILLED FROM THE RUPTURED FUEL TANK. BECAUSE OF DARKNESS, ONLY A PRELIMINARY INSPECTION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS COMPLETED. THE ENGINE AND WHAT REMAINDED OF THE PROPELLER WERE PARTIALLY BURIED WHERE THEY IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT BROKE FREE FROM THE ENGINE AND ENDED UP APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON AN APPROCIMATELY 315 DEGREE HEADING WHEN THE INFLIGHT BREAK UP OCCURRED. SHERIFF INVESTIGATORS PROVIDED THEIR DRONE FOOTAGE AND INFORMED THE FAA INVESTIGATOR THAT PART OF THE TAIL WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT, AND THAT THE WINGS WERE ACROSS THE ROAD IN AN ORCHARD, APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. THE ACCIDENT VICTIMS WERE REMOVED FROM THE WRECKAGE, AND THE FAA ASI DELIVERED TWO (2) TOXICOLOGY TEST BOXES TO THE MONROE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, WHERE THE VICTIMS WERE TAKEN.

ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, 5/29/2023, A DAYTIME SURVEY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS MADE, AND THE INSPECTOR WAS ACCOMPANIED BY ORLEANS COUNTY SHERIFF INVESTIGATORS. THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 210 FEET FROM THE MAIN ACCIDENT SITE, IN THE LINE OF FLIGHT. BOTH WINGS WERE LOCATED APPROXMATELY 1100 FEET FROM THE IMPACT SITE IN AN ORCHARD. THE WINGS WERE ABOUT 100 FEET APART AND SHOWED SIGNS OF SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE WING ROOT AND WING ATTACH POINTS. ADDITIONAL DEBRIS WAS FOUND A FEW HUNDRED FEET FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND APPEARED TO BE PIECES OF THE AIRFRAME THAT WERE TORN AWAY WHEN THE WINGS SEPERATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.  VARIOUS ITEMS WERE FOUND PAST THE WRECKAGE WHERE THEY HAD BEEN THROWN BY THE IMPACT. A HAND-HELD RADIO, PORTIONS OF THE FUSELAGE AND SOME PERSONAL EFFECTS SUCH AS A HAT WERE ALSO ABOUT 30 TO 50 FEET PAST THE WRECKAGE.

ON MAY 30, 2023, THE NTSB AND A LYCOMING ENGINE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE WERE ON SCENE AND COMPLETED THEIR INVESTIGATIONS. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE RELATIVELY FRESH AND PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WRECKAGE WAS LATER COLLECTED AND BROUGHT TO A STORAGE BUILDING USED BY THE ORLEANS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS AN EVIDENCE STORAGE BUILDING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN23FA204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA204), May 28, 2023: Luce Buttercup (N18263), Lyndonville, NY, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: An in-flight breakup due to structural overload of the airplane for undetermined reasons.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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