# NTSB NYC03LA103: Francis Giroux Moni-Motorglider 032, N20909, Glens Falls, NY, May 11, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 11, 2003, 06:12 local (10:12 UTC) - Place: Glens Falls, NY - Coordinates: 43.34111, -73.610275 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3411&lon=-73.6103&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56963 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56963/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA103 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors were the excessive taxi speed, and the inadvertent lift off. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (contributing factor) - lift-off - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot was attempting a "high speed taxi test" when the airplane unexpectedly became airborne, about 1,000 feet down the runway. As the airplane approached the end of the runway, at an altitude of 100 feet, and "marginal airspeed," the pilot initiated a left turn to return to the airport. During the turn, the airplane stalled, and impacted the ground in a steep, nose-down attitude. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical deficiencies. ## Factual narrative On May 11, 2003, at 0612 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Moni-Motorglider 032, N20909, was substantially damaged while attempting to land at Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport (GFL), Glens Falls, New York. The certificated commercial pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the test flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he was attempting a "high speed taxi test" when the airplane unexpectedly became airborne, about 1,000 feet down the runway. As the airplane approached the end of the runway, at an altitude of 100 feet, and "marginal airspeed," the pilot initiated a left turn to return to the airport. During the turn, the airplane stalled, and impacted the ground in a steep, nose-down attitude. The airplane had been built by the pilot over the previous 8 months. In the weeks leading up to the accident, the pilot had twice attempted to obtain a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness certificate for it. The FAA inspector who conducted the most recent inspection of the airplane in late April 2003, stated that it did not meet FAA airworthiness standards. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed no mechanical anomalies. Weather conditions reported at the airport, at 0553, included winds from 360 degrees at 4 knots and clear skies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20909](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20909-2006-05-31), registration cancelled 2006-05-31, S/N 032MG-1 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Francis Giroux Moni-Motorglider 032 - Registry model: [Giroux Francis A 032 MOTORGLIDER](https://openairdocs.org/model/giroux-francis-a-032-motorglider) (registry code 05615CX) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 032MG-1 - Airframe hours: 0 - Engines: Teledyne Continental 4A032-III 18 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Registered owner: Francis A Giroux - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: GFL - Destination: GFL - Airport: GFL, Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, runway 01, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; last flight review February 1, 2003; seat: single; flight hours: 1,000 total, 0 in this make and model, 900 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: GFL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030511007169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030511007169A), May 11, 2003: Amtr MONI, Glens Falls, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) At approximately 0600L an uncertificated home built aircraft departed runway 1. Immediately after take off the pilot attempted to make a sharp left turn… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.