# NTSB NYC94LA164: Beech F33A, N445B, Block Island, RI, September 1, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 1994, 14:35 local (18:35 UTC) - Place: Block Island, RI - Location: 41.1681° N, 71.5778° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BLOCK ISLAND STATE (BID), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1681&lon=-71.5778&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 13, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA164 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38822/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA164 ## Probable cause The pilot maintaining excessive airspeed during the landing, resulting in a touchdown on the runway with insufficient distance to stop, and a subsequent intentional ground loop and collision with the terrain. Also causal was the pilot's failure to abort the landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - aborted landing - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - overload - ground loop/swerve - intentional, pilot in command ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING A LANDING: 'AIRCRAFT FLARED...AND ROSE DUE TO GROUND EFFECT.' THE AIRPLANE FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY, AND THE TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED FAR DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT BRAKE TO AVOID IMPACTING A FENCE. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE ROUGH TERRAIN. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED IN HIS REPORT: '...THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AT HIGH SPEED ON THE LAST 268 FEET OF USABLE RUNWAY. AFTER CONTINUING OFF THE RUNWAY AT HIGH SPEED, THE PILOT PLACED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A HARD RIGHT TURN.' ## Factual narrative On Thursday, September 1, 1994, at 1435 eastern daylight time, a Beech F33A, N445B, registered to the Blue Sky Aviation Association, and piloted by George R. Niccolai, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Block Island State Airport, Block Island, Rhode Island. The pilot and two of the passengers were not injured. One passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In his report, the pilot stated: Speed was slowly reduced to 80 MPH on final. ....Aircraft flared at the "numbers" and rose due to ground effect...eased back as the aircraft began downward descent. Back pressure applied again and the same occurrence repeated. Aircraft skidded off the runway onto grass overrun. Right rudder and brake was applied making aircraft turn to right and slide to stop. The FAA Operations Inspector stated in his report: While approaching runway 28...the aircraft touched down at high speed on the last 268 feet of usable runway. After continuing off the runway at speed, the pilot placed the aircraft into a hard right turn effectively "ground looping" to a stop. The reported wind at the airport was 290 degrees at 9 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: N445B (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BEECH F33A - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CE-356 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-BB 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Blue Sky Aviation Assoc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 6, 1994 - Departed: HYA, HYANNIS, MA - Destination: BID - Airport: BID, Block Island State, runway 28, 2,501 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 462 total, 21 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 19940901037709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940901037709A), Sep 1, 1994: Beech F33, Block Island, RI, Substantial damage. Landed fast. Ballooned floated landed last third. Ran off end runway. Ground looped to avoid fence. Collapsed gear. 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.