- Date
- September 28, 1996, 09:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsfield, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N211KFBins Kitfox IV
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960928032969A
- Case key
- 39247
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control, the airplane veering off the runway, and a subsequent nose over. The adverse wind condition and uneven terrain were related factors.
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
The pilot/co-owner of the homebuilt amphibian airplane was flying a VFR flight from New Jersey to New Hampshire. While en route, the weather began to deteriorate, and the pilot elected to land at an uncontrolled airport in Massachusetts. After a radio call on the airport frequency, the pilot elected to land on runway 26. He estimated the winds were from 180 to 220 degrees at 10 gusting 12 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway and nosed over in a 'ravine.' The surface winds at the airport were reported to be from 140 to 360 degrees at 7 to 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The pilot received his en route and forecasted weather from a television station.
Factual narrative
On September 28, 1996, at 0905 eastern daylight time, a TOM BINS, Kitfox IV, a homebuilt amphibian, N211KF, was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway during the landing roll at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport (PSF), Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Sussex, New Jersey, about 0830. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot/co-owner stated that he departed Sussex for Laconia, New Hampshire. While en route to Laconia the weather began to deteriorate, and he elected to land at PSF. He further stated:
"...Check with UNICOM revealed runway 26 in use, wind 180 to 220 [degrees], 10 gusting 12 [knots]...After landing on 26, during rollout (approx. 30 MPH) wind gust from left forced the aircraft off the right side of runway into grass...nose gear eased into a 'ravine,' causing the aircraft to roll forward coming to rest inverted."
The airport manager reported the weather as:
"...better than 1,000 to 1,200 msl overcast and 8 to 10 miles visibility, with an approaching cold front. The surface winds at the time of the incident were varying from 140 to 360 degrees at 7 to 10 knots with gusts to 20 plus knots. There were low level windshear advisories for the area and winds aloft at 3,000 feet at 45 [knots] from the northwest."
According to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failure of the airplane's directional controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N211KF
- Reported as
- Bins Kitfox IV
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1496
- Airframe hours
- 243
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Willard J. Delcambre
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 12, 1996 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- N63 · Sussex, NJ
- Destination
- LCI · Laconia, NH
- Airport
- PSF · Pittsfield Municipal, runway 26, 5,000 × 100 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 627 total · 129 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N211KF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.