- Date
- April 5, 2012, 17:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Warwarsing, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N211RWWielt Great Lakes 2T-1A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120405006539A
- Case key
- 83327
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during low level maneuvering flight.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane with no anomalies noted. The purpose of the flight was to circle over a friend's property and return to the departure airport. The pilot said that, as he began the first turn to circle the property, he waved to his friends on the ground; he did not recall anything after he initiated that turn. According to a witness, as the airplane began to turn, it lost altitude and descended at a 45-degree angle until it struck a tree and then the ground. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the wings and fuselage during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane with no anomalies noted. The purpose of the flight was to circle around a friend's property and return to the departure airport. As the pilot began the first turn to circle the property, he waved to his friends and did not recall anything following the initiated turn. According to a witness, as the airplane began to turn, it lost altitude and descended at a 45 degree angle until it struck a tree and then the ground. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the wings and fuselage during the accident sequence. In a telephone interview, the pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N211RW
- Reported as
- Wielt Great Lakes 2T-1A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6803K-386
- Airframe hours
- 660
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas Mark R
- Registered owner
- Thomas Mark R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 24, 2011
- Departed
- 2NK9 · Modena, NY
- Destination
- 2NK9 · Modena, NY
- Airport
- None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 13, 2011
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,502 total · 95 in this make and model · 1,374 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- MGJ, 12 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 7, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.