- Date
- November 2, 2007, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alburgh, VT
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N58MBSmith Miniplane DSA-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Portland Maine
- FAA report
- 20071102829809A
- Case key
- 67006
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 control of the airplane during aerobatic maneuvers which resulted in a loss of control and in-flight collision with trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he "left Franklin County State Airport (FSO) at 16:00. Flew west from FSO to practice aerobatic maneuvers. After fifteen (15) minutes of aerobatic practice [he] flew to Northern Lights airfield with [the] intention to land and observe first flight of recently assembled Steerman biplane from the air. Upon observing that the Steerman biplane was not out on the airfield ramp, [he] decided to fly west of [the] field for more aerobatic practice. After 10 minutes of aerobatic practice proper altitude diminished, and during inverted flight and while rolling to upright, [the] airplane "dished out", losing altitude and heading. As a result, [the] right wing struck tree tops and separated from [the] airplane. [The] airplane rolled and tumbled, which resulted in the left wing departing as well. [The] airplane then impacted the ground in an inverted position, bounced approximately seventy five (75) feet, impacted the ground also in an inverted position, and rolled against the tree line."
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he "left Franklin County State Airport (FSO) at 16:00. Flew west from FSO to practice aerobatic maneuvers. After fifteen (15) minutes of aerobatic practice [he] flew to Northern Lights airfield with [the] intention to land and observe first flight of recently assembled biplane from the air. Upon observing that the biplane was not out on the airfield ramp, [he] decided to fly west of [the] field for more aerobatic practice. After 10 minutes of aerobatic practice proper altitude diminished, and during inverted flight and while rolling to upright, [the] airplane "dished out", losing altitude and heading. As a result, [the] right wing struck tree tops and separated from [the] airplane. [The] airplane rolled and tumbled, which resulted in the left wing departing as well. [The] airplane then impacted the ground in an inverted position, bounced approximately seventy five (75) feet, impacted the ground also in an inverted position, and rolled against the tree line."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58MB
- Reported as
- Smith Miniplane DSA-1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- MB1
- Airframe hours
- 103.5
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-320-E1B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daniel F. Marcotte
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 1, 2006 · 9.6 hours before
- Departed
- FSO · Franklin County, VT
- Destination
- VT46 · Alburgh, VT
- Airport
- VT46 · Northern Lights
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
- 33
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2006
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 390 total · 29 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KPLB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.