- Date
- July 4, 2005, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pittstown, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N98YMeyer Atlantis
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050704014109A
- Case key
- 61876
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 clearance from power lines, while returning to the airport after takeoff.
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
A witness, who was also a pilot, observed the airplane during its takeoff from the runway. As the airplane reached about the mid-point of the runway, the left wing struck the runway. The airplane's canopy then appeared to open, and the pilot attempted to grab it with one hand. The witness heard a reduction in power, and then an increase in power as the airplane continued its takeoff. As the airplane reached about 800 feet, it initiated a turn to the left, and struck power lines as it was returning to the airport. The airplane then impacted the ground at the base of the power lines. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical deficiencies. The pilot reported that he had no memory of the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 2005, at 1215 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Atlantis airplane, N98Y, was substantially damaged when it impacted power lines, and then the ground during climbout from Sky Manor Airport (N40), Pittstown, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
A witness, who was also a pilot, observed the airplane during its takeoff from runway 7. As the airplane reached approximately the mid-point of runway 7, he observed the left wing strike the runway. The airplane's canopy then appeared to open, and the pilot attempted to grab it with one hand. The witness heard a reduction in power, and then an increase in power as the airplane continued its takeoff. As the airplane reached about 800 feet, it initiated a turn to the left to avoid power lines. The witness then lost sight of the airplane behind a tree line.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane struck power lines as it was returning to the airport, immediately after takeoff. The airplane then impacted the ground at the base of the power lines. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical deficiencies.
The pilot reported that he had no memory of the accident. He also reported 550 hours of total flight experience, 40 of which were in make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98Y
- Reported as
- Meyer Atlantis
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 629
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2004 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- N40 · Pittstown, NJ
- Destination
- N40
- Airport
- N40 · Sky Manor Airport, runway 7, 2,439 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 51
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 40 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- TTN, 19 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.