# NTSB NYC94FA052: Cessna 340, N512SK, Westhampton, NY, March 4, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: March 3, 1994, 19:16 local (Mar 4, 1994, 00:16 UTC) - Place: Westhampton, NY - Coordinates: 40.82912, -72.649955 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8291&lon=-72.6500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report November 18, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38667 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94FA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38667/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=38667 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94FA052 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate inflight decision which resulted in ice accretion on the aircraft, degradation of aircraft performance, an aerodynamic stall, loss of control and inflight collision with the ground. Factors were icing conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft performance - deteriorated - Loss of control - in flight, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HAD CLEARED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24, CIRCLE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 06. THE AIRPLANE BROKE OFF THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24, AND WAS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS AT A LOW ALTITUDE, ON A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 06, FLYING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS. ON THE BASE LEG, THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE LEFT, AND A WITNESS SAW THE LEFT WING MAKE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. ONE WITNESS SAID THAT BEFORE THE CRASH, THE ENGINE SOUNDED 'LIKE THEY WERE AT FULL RPM. SEVERAL PILOTS FROM THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG) AT THE AIRPORT WENT TO THE CRASH SITE MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH, AND OBSERVED ICE ON THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS AND EMPENNAGE. ONE OF THE ANG PILOT REPORTED HIS OBSERVATION OF THE ICE ON THE AIRCRAFT: 'IT APPEARED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 1/8 INCH IN THICKNESS THROUGHOUT THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING SURFACES AND THE REAR EMPENNAGE SECTIONS . . .' ANOTHER ANG PILOT DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS, VISIBILITY LESS THEN ONE MILE WITH 'FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET.' THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ## Factual narrative History of Flight On March 3, 1994, about 1916 eastern standard time, a Cessna 340, N512SK, piloted by Mr. Leon Elwart, and registered to Capital Associates Corp., collided with the terrain at the Suffolk County Airport, West Hampton, New York. The pilot and one company employee passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. Air Traffic Control (ATC) had cleared the airplane for the ILS approach to runway 24, circle to land on runway 06. The airplane broke off the approach to runway 24, and was observed at a low altitude, while on a left downwind for runway 06, flying in and out of the clouds. On the base leg, the airplane turned to the left, and the left wing made contact with the ground. Several witnesses near the accident site saw and heard the airplane prior to impact. Mr. Paul Horwat, a lineman for Malloy Air East Inc., was in front of the hanger "C" at the time of the accident and wrote that he saw the airplane, "...a few hundred feet above the control tower [as the airplane] broke thru the fog." Mr. Horwat saw the airplane continue downwind then start a left turn towards runway 06. Mr. Horwat wrote: ...that's when the engines sounded like they were at full RPM. By following the lights that were on the aircraft, it appeared that the aircraft was in a nose dive and tilting to the left...the aircraft hit the ground. The engines stopped suddenly.... A Federal Technician, working at the Air Force National Guard (ANG), Base located on the southwest section of the airport wrote in his statement to the Southhampton, Police Department, "...I heard a twin...flying close to the building I was in." He looked out the window, and saw, "...an aircraft making a tight [left] bank...all of a sudden the plane went down nose first, as the left wing hit the ground first...." Several pilots from the ANG, arrived at the crash site to help in any rescue attempts. Mr. Martin Ingram, one of the ANG pilots wrote in his statement: ...approximately 5 minutes after the plane crash I observed a significant amount of ice adhering to the surface of the wreckage, even at areas that were protected by the wind and rain which led me to believe that the ice was on the aircraft prior to impact. It appeared to be approximately 1/8" in thickness throughout the left and right wing surfaces and the rear empennage sections.... Another pilot from the ANG arrived at the crash site shortly after the accident, and wrote in his statement: ...the weather was approximately 500 ft ceiling, about 1 mile visibility or less in freezing rain and sleet. I estimated the wind to be 30-35 KTS. from the north. I felt the surface of the left wing...left and right empennage. The skin was covered with ice.... The accident occurred during the hours of darkness at approximately 40 degrees, 51 minutes north, and 72 degrees, 38 minutes west. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION An autopsy was performed on Mr. Leon Elwart, on March 4, 1994, at the Medical Examiner's Office, in Riverhead, New York, by Dr. Gwen Harleman. The toxicological tests were conducted at the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA), Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and revealed, "... no drugs or alcohol where found." METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The West Hampton, 1919 weather observation was; ceiling 500 feet, overcast, visibility 1.5 miles, fog and rain, temperature 33 degrees F, dew point 30, wind 010 degrees, 10 knots, gusts 20, altimeter 29.33 inches Hg. Witnesses at or near the accident site said that it was foggy at the time of the accident. Several witness saw the airplane flying in out of clouds. One witness said that within minutes of the crash the visibility was less then a mile, and there was "freezing rain and sleet." WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage was examined at the accident site on August 4-5, 1994. The airplane impacted the ground less then a half mile short of the arrival end of runway 06. There was a ground scar found approximately 500 feet southwest of the arrival threshold to runway 06, approximately 6 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 6 inches deep. Located within the confines of the ground were pieces of red lens, from the wing navigation light. The airplane continued in an easterly direction coming to rest approximately 130 feet east of the ground scar described above. The airplane came to rest with the nose heading approximately 035 degrees. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane was in the landing configuration at the time of impact. Control continuity was established to all the flight controls. Examination of the engine revealed no discrepancies. Fuel was found in the fuel pumps and fuel lines of both engines. All six propeller blades were examined, and revealed chordwise marks, curled tips, and bending. Personnel Information Mr. Elwart was in position of a commercial pilot's license at the time of the accident, and according to company personnel, and his personal flight records, at the time of the accident he had approximately 6,828 hours of total flight time, of which 2,000 hours were in Cessna 340 airplanes, and had been employed by the company for about three and a half years. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The wreckage was released to the owner's insurance company representative, Mr. Kevin Olsen, on March 5, 1994. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N512SK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N512SK-1994-04-19), registration cancelled 1994-04-19, S/N 3400111 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 340 - Registry model: [Cessna 340](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340) (registry code 2076404) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 340-0111 - Airframe hours: 6857 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520J 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: James Flying Service Inc - Registered owner: Capital Associates Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 11, 1994, 64 hours before - Departed: TTN, TRENTON, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: FOK, Suffolk County (Gabreski), runway 6, 9,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 6,828 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 5,964 as pilot in command, 77 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 10° at 10 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 1.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 500 ft overcast - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FOK ## 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 19940304003489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940304003489A), Mar 4, 1994: Cessna 340CESSNA, Westhampton Bea, NY, Destroyed, 2 fatal. ILS to runway 24 then tried to circle to land on 20. In and out of clouds. Stalled turning final. Ice on aircraft. ## Other investigations on N512SK (1) 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. - [NTSB MKC79DCQ28](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC79DCQ28), Jun 6, 1979: Cessna 340 (N512SK), Manhattan, KS, substantial damage ## Docket (16 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=38667. 5.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 321 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422814&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Supplement A (item 2, .PDF, 185 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017842&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20A-Master.PDF - Supplement B (item 3, .PDF, 278 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017843&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20B-Master.PDF - Supplement I (item 4, .PDF, 247 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017844&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20I-Master.PDF - Supplement K (item 5, .PDF, 270 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017845&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20K-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 6, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017846&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Witness Statements (item 7, .PDF, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422815&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 8, .PDF, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422816&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Redacted.PDF - Transcript of Radio Communications (item 9, .PDF, 213 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422817&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 10, .PDF, 290 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422818&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 11, .PDF, 42 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422819&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 12, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422820&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1. General view of the wreckage. The arrow points to the overrun area at the approach end of runway 06. (item 13, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017854&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20%20General%20view%20of%20the%20wreckage.%20%20The%20arrow%20points%20to%20the%20overrun%20area%20at%20the%20approach%20end%20of%20runway%2006.-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Right main landing gear and flap (arrow). (item 14, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017855&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20%20Right%20main%20landing%20gear%20and%20flap%20(arrow).-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Ground scars where the red navigation light lens was found. (item 15, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017856&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20%20Ground%20scars%20where%20the%20red%20navigation%20light%20lens%20was%20found.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Propeller blades. (item 16, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40017857&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20%20Propeller%20blades.-Master.PDF 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.