# NTSB NYC06CA031: Beech F33A, N1813W, Montgomery, NY, November 12, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: November 11, 2005, 19:30 local (Nov 12, 2005, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Montgomery, NY
- Coordinates: 41.509998, -74.264724
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5100&lon=-74.2647&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 28, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 63001
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06CA031
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63001/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06CA031

## Probable cause

The pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing short of the runway.  Factors included the night lighting conditions, the time-out and reestablishment of the high intensity runway lighting, and the pilot's failure to go around.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - light condition - night (contributing factor)
  - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - airport facilities,runway edge lights - other (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The pilot was making a night visual approach to an airport when, on short final, the pilot-activated runway lights timed out.  The pilot re-activated the lights, which came back on at a high intensity that "adversely affected [her] night vision and depth perception."  During the time the lights were out, the airplane descended below the glide path, and by the time she realized it, the pilot felt that she could not have successfully executed a go-around because "the aircraft would have most likely lost lift and stalled."  According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane then landed "short and hard."  No airplane mechanical anomalies were noted.

## Factual narrative

The pilot was making a night visual approach to an airport when, on short final, the pilot-activated runway lights timed out.  The pilot re-activated the lights, which came back on at a high intensity that "adversely affected [her] night vision and depth perception."  During the time the lights were out, the airplane descended below the glide path, and by the time she realized it, the pilot felt that she could not have successfully executed a go-around because "the aircraft would have most likely lost lift and stalled."  According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane then landed "short and hard."  No airplane mechanical anomalies were noted.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1813W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1813W), registered now, S/N CE-413 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Beech F33A
- Registry model: [Beech F33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (registry code 1151425) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: CE413
- Engines: Continental IO-520 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Shirley A. Onacilla
- Registered owner: Shirley's Express, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: AIY, Atlantic City, NJ
- Destination: MGJ, Montgomery, NY

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; flight hours: 1,022 total, 379 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night

## 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 20051111032049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051111032049A), Nov 11, 2005: Beech F33A, Montgomery, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) On 11/11/05 owner-operator made a night VFR approach to Orange county a/p (mgj). The pilot activated the runway lighting however on short final (1/4)…

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.

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