- Date
- June 15, 2015, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Kirkville, NY
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N693MPPenell Mark A Rans S-10 KIT
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150615008779A
- Case key
- 91389
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
Pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering during the initial climb, which resulted in a loss of lift and subsequent off airport landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff after recognizing the airplane's slow acceleration.
Findings · 3
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
During the takeoff roll from the 1,400-foot-long runway, the airplane encountered water on the runway and "was not able to gain enough momentum." During the initial climb the airplane was unable to clear the surrounding trees. Therefore, the pilot elected to maneuver the airplane in order to avoid striking the trees. During the turn, the airspeed decreased and the pilot made an off airport landing to a nearby golf course. According to a witness, the airplane was about 40 feet off the ground when it began the turn. In addition, it looked like the airplane "turned too tight," and that the "wings never leveled out" prior to impacting the ground. During the off airport landing, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He further stated, "it was my fault, not the [airplane's]." At the time of the accident the wind was from the northwest at 4 knots.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll from the 1,400-foot-long runway, the airplane encountered water on the runway and "was not able to gain enough momentum." During the initial climb the airplane was unable to clear the surrounding trees. Therefore, the pilot elected to maneuver the airplane in order to avoid striking the trees. During the turn, the airspeed decreased and the pilot made an off airport landing to a nearby golf course. According to a witness, the airplane was about 40 feet off the ground when it began the turn. In addition, it looked like the airplane "turned too tight," and that the "wings never leveled out" prior to impacting the ground. During the off airport landing, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He further stated, "it was my fault, not the [airplane's]." At the time of the accident the winds were from the northwest at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N693MP
- Reported as
- Penell Mark A Rans S-10 KIT (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0291125
- Built
- 1991
- Airframe hours
- 180.6
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 12, 2013
- Departed
- NY72 · Manlius, NY
- Destination
- NY25 · Camillus, NY
- Airport
- NY72 · Poolsbrook Aerodrome, runway 09, 1,400 × 80 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 593.2 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- SYR, 8 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.