14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 20, 2012 in East Moriches, NY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/30/2013
Aircraft: Swift Museum Foundation, Inc. GC-1A, registration: N80823
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The airplane departed with an adequate supply of fuel in the main fuel tank but an unknown amount of fuel in the tip tanks. After the airplane took off, the mechanic who performed the last condition inspection and who was near the departure end of the runway noted an unusual sound; he said the sound was abnormal and expected the pilot to return, but he did not. The airplane’s GPS indicated that the flight proceeded south to the southern Long Island coastline then turned to the west, paralleling the coastline while climbing to a maximum altitude of 2,602 feet. The flight continued on the westerly heading along the southern coast of Long Island and descended to 2,383 feet and then turned north; the VHF transceiver was set to the Farmingdale automatic terminal information service. The flight continued on the northerly heading and descended to 1,812 feet, then turned to an easterly heading, followed by a southeasterly heading toward the southern coast of Long Island. The flight then turned back to an easterly heading with a steadily decreasing altitude and a steady groundspeed of about 86 knots. When just west of Moriches Inlet, the GPS altitude was noted to be 60 feet, and the groundspeed was 85 knots.
Several witnesses located near the crash site heard a sputtering engine. One witness stated that the airplane was running flawlessly, but he thought it was going to land because it was flying “way too slow.” Another witness who was located about 1,000 to 1,500 feet west of the Moriches Inlet reported seeing a flock of birds take flight followed by the airplane pitching up and then pitching down into the inlet.
Postaccident inspection of the airframe, flight controls, engine, and engine systems revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Although minimal damage was noted on the propeller, no evidence of a bird strike was noted on any component of the airplane. The flaps and landing gear were extended, consistent with a precautionary landing.
During the postaccident examination, the left side of the engine exhaust, where it enters the muffler, was circumferentially fractured at a weld, and cracks were noted in a weld-repaired area of the left side exhaust system components; the fracture and cracks can be attributed to overload as a result of impact. There was no evidence of exhaust gas escaping the repaired area. Further, no carbon monoxide was detected in specimens of the pilot or passenger taken during the postmortem examinations. Although a crack to the left side exhaust system had been detected 9 days earlier and repaired at a non-aviation facility, it did not play a role in the accident.
The fuel selector was found positioned to the tip tanks, both of which were breached during the impact sequence; therefore, no determination could be made as to the quantity of fuel in the tanks at the time of the accident. Although the remaining quantity of fuel in the main fuel tank was not quantified during the postaccident investigation, the airplane had only been operated for 40 minutes since the main fuel tank was filled; the main fuel tank can hold over 2 hours of fuel. No obstructions of the fuel supply from the main or tip tanks were noted, and the engine-driven fuel pump tested satisfactorily. Although about 6 ounces of water was drained from the main fuel tank, the water was consistent with ocean water; no other contaminants from the tank were noted. Water contamination was also noted from a sample of fuel and water drained from an open fuel supply line for the right tip tank; however, the right tip tank was breached and the water was likely from the ocean. No fuel or contamination was noted in the carburetor bowl.
Although a valve on the left side of the firewall was inoperative, which allowed heated air to enter the cockpit by the pilot’s side, no determination could be made as to how or if that factored into the accident sequence. Further, that condition had been known by the pilot since September.
Based on the flight track and groundspeed recorded by the GPS and the fact that the landing gear and flaps were extended, it is likely that the pilot was performing a precautionary landing. However, the reason for the attempted precautionary landing could not be determined from the available evidence. Based on the witness statement of birds in the area, it is likely that during the precautionary landing, the pilot reacted to the birds by pitching the airplane up, stalled the airplane, and was unable to recover because of the low altitude.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed, while attempting a precautionary landing for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s pitch-up reaction to birds that took flight during his approach for the precautionary landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On October 20, 2012, about 1504 eastern daylight time, a Swift Museum Foundation, Inc., GC-1A, N80823, owned by the pilot, impacted the water of Moriches Inlet, East Moriches, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Spadaro Airport (1N2), East Moriches, New York, to Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot and 1 passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from 1N2 about 1455.
The reported purpose of the flight was to return to FRG. An airframe and powerplant mechanic who signed off the last condition inspection was at the south end of 1N2 when the accident flight departed. He reported that what first caught his attention was the sound. The airplane at that time was past the departure end of the runway about 100 feet above ground level (agl), and he described hearing a noise from the engine he described as an “after noise.” He was asked if it was an after fire, and he advised it was not. He again referred to it as an “after noise”, which in all his years of experience he could not describe. Because of the noise which he perceived as abnormal, he expected the pilot to return but he did not. He did not observe any smoke trailing the airplane, which disappeared from his view. The witness was asked if he wears any hearing aide devices and he said he does, but at that time was not wearing them because they were in for repairs.
According to data downloaded from the on-board GPS receiver, after takeoff the flight proceeded south to the southern coast of long Island while climbing to 1,473 feet, then turned to the west paralleling the coastline climbing to a maximum altitude of 2,602 feet at 1459:10. The airplane continued on the westerly heading along the southern coast of Long Island and descended to 2,383 feet where at 1500:47, a right turn to the north was made. The flight continued on the northerly heading and descended to 1,812 feet, and at 1501:37, the flight turned to an easterly heading, followed by a southeasterly heading towards the southerly coast of Long Island. The flight then turned to an easterly heading with decreasing altitude and steady groundspeed value of approximately 86 knots. When just west of Moriches Inlet, at 1504:14, the GPS altitude was noted to be 60 feet and the groundspeed was 85 knots, while 7 seconds later, the GPS altitude was noted to be 87 feet and the groundspeed was 75 knots. The final GPS target at 1504:22 indicates the GPS altitude was 89 feet and the groundspeed was 67 knots. The last target was located at 40 degrees 45.8736 minutes North latitude and 072 degrees 45.396 minutes west longitude.
A witness driving eastbound on the beach approximately 200 yards west of the Moriches Inlet jetty reported the accident airplane flew over his vehicle about 30 feet agl. The witness heard a sputtering engine, and assumed that the airplane was in distress, and was going to land on the beach. He then lost sight of the airplane and assumed it had impacted the water in the inlet. He proceeded to the area and observed boaters secured the airplane with anchor lines. The comment about the sputtering engine was echoed by another witness located on the west jetty of Moriches Inlet.
One individual who was on the beach located 1,000 to 1,500 feet west of the Moriches Inlet reported seeing the airplane flying low in an easterly direction. The witness reported the airplane appeared to spook a flock of birds which became airborne, and then observed the airplane pitch up, followed by the nose pitching down; the airplane crashed into the water of the Moriches Inlet.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector-in-charge, the accident pilot did not establish contact with any FAA air traffic control facility at any time during the flight, and there was no radar data available for the accident flight.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 51, seated in the left seat, was the holder of a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land rating. He was issued a third class medical certificate with no limitations on September 7, 2011. On the application for his last medical certificate he listed 480 hours as his total flight time, and 20 hours in last six months. There was no record of enforcement action, and he did not hold a repairman certificate.
Review of the aircraft insurance application dated August 21, 2012, with an effective date of August 25, 2012, indicates the pilot listed his total time to be 500 hours, and 15 hours were in a tailwheel equipped airplanes in the last 90 days. The application also indicates his last flight review was in July 2012.
The passenger, age 72, seated in the right seat, was last issued a student pilot medical certificate on August 16, 2006. On the application for his last medical certificate he listed a total time of 300 hours. There was no record that he obtained any further pilot certificates.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane was manufactured in 1946 by Globe Aircraft Corporation, Fort Worth, Texas, as model GC-1, and was designated serial number 226. It was certificated in the normal category in accordance with Civil Air Regulation (CAR) 4A, and originally equipped with a 85 horsepower Continental C85-12 engine and a fixed pitch propeller.
An application was requested by Palomar Aviation, Inc., to place the airplane in the experimental category for the purpose of conducting flight tests on various modifications including installation of a 180 horsepower Lycoming O-360-A1A engine, leading edge change, rudder size change, and tip tank installation. The FAA Engineering & Manufacturing District Office (WE-41) approved the request on May 2, 1963, and issued operating limitations that expired November 2, 1963. The airplane remained in the Experimental Category by application every year until October 1979, at which time it remained in the experimental category with no expiration date.
The fuel system consisted of two tanks in the wing center section each located inboard of the wing outer panel attach point and also between the forward and aft spars, and two fiberglass fuel tanks installed at each wingtip, selectable by the fuel selector, and plumbed to the engine compartment. The two tanks installed in the wing center section are considered the main tank; the total capacity of the main tank is listed to be 27.8 gallons. While the capacity of each fiberglass tip tank was not determined by paperwork, the fuel selector indicated “176” for the left and right tip tanks respectively.
The engine was equipped with an exhaust system that is similar in design to that for a Mooney M20A or M20B airplane equipped with a Lycoming O-360 engine; however, it was modified.
Paperwork provided to FAA and NTSB indicates that the pilot purchased the airplane from the previous owner in December 2011. There was no record with the FAA that a registration application and bill of sale for his purchase were submitted to the agency. The pilot picked up the airplane on August 25, 2012, at Waterbury-Oxford Airport (OXC), Waterbury, Connecticut. The mechanic who performed the last condition inspection reported he did not perform a pre-buy inspection of the airplane for the pilot. Since purchase, the pilot based the airplane at the Republic Airport (FRG), located in Farmingdale, New York.
Heated air for the cockpit and cabin is provided by a shroud assembly which covers an exhaust manifold on the bottom forward portion of the engine. A scat hose connects to a duct on the shroud assembly and also to a valve located on the lower left portion of the firewall. A Bowden wire connected to a control knob on the co-pilot’s side of the instrument panel controls the valve which has a moveable flap on the engine compartment side of the valve and also a second flap located on the interior of the valve. By design, with the cockpit and cabin heat knob in the closed position, the flap on the interior is vertical or parallel to the firewall while the flap on the engine compartment side of the valve is open preventing heated air from entering the cockpit and allowing it to escape into the engine compartment.
Ram or fresh air to the cockpit and cabin is provided by a scat hose that connects to a duct at the engine cowling and also to a valve located on the lower center portion of the instrument panel. A Bowden wire connected to a control knob on the co-pilot’s side of the instrument panel controls the valve which has a moveable flap on the engine compartment side of the valve and also a second flap located on the interior of the valve. By design, with the cockpit and cabin fresh air knob in the open or pulled position, the flap on the interior is horizontal or perpendicular to the firewall while the flap in the engine compartment is closed allowing fresh air to enter the cockpit.
The maintenance records were obtained from the airframe and powerplant mechanic who performed the last condition inspection. The airframe logbook contained only 1 entry and was for the last condition inspection which was signed off as being completed on October 11, 2012, or 9 days before the accident. The entry did not specify tachometer time nor airframe total time. The mechanic who performed the inspection later reported to the FAA-IIC that he signed the inspection off on the wrong date after being informed that the accident airplane was seen by another FAA inspector at FRG on October 8, 2012.
During the last condition inspection, the airframe and powerplant mechanic noted the left side exhaust was cracked. The exhaust was removed from the airplane, and taken to a non-aviation facility for repairs. The individual who performed the repair was interviewed by several FAA inspectors and the individual reported the general condition was, “…was about 50 percent good but pretty rotted and cracked at the ‘Y’ and very dirty.” The person did not have a jig but eyed the repair for alignment, and used ER705-2 steel rod for the repair. The person recommended getting a new exhaust for the left side and he also stated that he had no prior experience welding an aircraft exhaust system.
The airframe and powerplant mechanic reported the repaired exhaust looked good and he advised the accident pilot to check for stress/misalignment when installing the exhaust. The mechanic reported the pilot informed him there was no stress/misalignment when he installed the exhaust system onto the engine.
The mechanic who performed the last condition inspection reported he began the inspection about 1 week before the accident. When asked what reference data he used (maintenance manuals, 14 CFR Part 43, homemade checklist, etc.) he said he did not have any data and based his inspection on his years of experience as a mechanic. He was asked if he test flew the airplane after the condition inspection was performed and he said no, but did state that the accident pilot flew it on 3 takeoffs and landings and after the flight did not report any discrepancies.
The engine logbook contained entries from February 2, 1960 to the last entry dated October 11, 2012. Further review of the engine logbook revealed an entry dated March 10, 1967, indicating the Lycoming O-360-A1A engine was given a major overhaul and then installed in the accident airplane. No entries were noted between March 10, 1967 and June 7, 1975; November 18, 1982, and May 5, 1998; May 5, 1998, and “8/08”; “8/08” and “9/10”; and “9/10” to “October 11, 2012.” There was no record that the engine had been removed since installation in 1967, and there was no record excluding the entry for the last condition inspection indicating any work performed to the exhaust system.
Although the time since the last condition inspection could not be determined because the airframe and engine logbook entries did not contain the tachometer time, data downloaded from the installed global positioning system (GPS) receiver indicates that on October 7th, the GPS recorded the position to be at 1N2, and about 25 minutes later the GPS recorded the position to be on the ramp at FRG, which is the airport where the airplane is based. Recorded or calculated ground speed values were consistent with flight. Two roundtrip flights were recorded on October 13, 2012, and also on October 18, 2012. The total flight duration for the flights on October 13 totaled approximately 1 hour 27 minutes, while the total flight duration for the flights on October 18 totaled approximately 1 hour 12 minutes. The next recorded flights occurred on the accident date.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
A surface observation weather report taken at HWV Airport at 1456, or approximately 10 minutes before the accident indicates the wind was from 200 degrees at 12 knots, the visibility was 10 miles, and clear skies existed. The temperature and dew point were 19 and 14 degrees Celsius respectively, and the altimeter setting was 29.68 inches of Mercury. The accident site was located approximately 5.8 nautical miles and 123 degrees from the HWV Airport.
FLIGHT RECORDERS
The airplane was not equipped, nor was it required to be equipped, with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) or flight data recorder (FDR). However, the airplane was equipped with a Garmin GPSMAP 196 global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The component was retained and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory located in Washington, DC.
Upon arrival at the Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, internal corrosion was noted. The main board was removed and rinsed in fresh water, and then air dried. The non-volatile memory chip was removed from the board, the memory image downloaded, and the contents decoded.
The track data extracted spanned the time period from August 26, 2012 through October 20, 2012. The accident flight was recorded starting at 18:50:41 UTC and ending at 19:04:22 UTC. Extracted data concerning the accident flight were overlayed onto Google Earth, and also placed in an Excel spreadsheet; the report is contained in the NTSB Public Docket.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The wreckage came to rest near the west edge of the Moriches Inlet jetty, East Moriches, New York; the airplane was inverted. Bystanders who watched the crash tied ropes to the airplane in an effort to keep it from sinking to the bottom. The wreckage was located at 40 degrees 45.9 minutes North latitude, and 072 degrees 45.3 minutes West longitude.
The airplane and all observed components were recovered from the water the same day about 2300 hours local. Pictures of the airplane following recovery from the water provided by the Suffolk County Police Department depict the right wing still attached. The right wing was removed, and the wreckage was transported to the Suffolk County Police Department Impound yard where it was secured.
Following recovery, the wreckage was inspected by NTSB, representatives of the FAA, and a representative of the engine manufacturer. All components necessary to sustain flight with the exception of both flaps were recovered. Inspection of all recovered components revealed no evidence of bird strikes. As first viewed, the left wing was fractured and separated just outboard of the attach point, but recovered. The horizontal and vertical stabilizers were separated, but recovered. The engine remained attached to the airframe and the propeller remained attached to the engine. A portion of the lower cowling remained partially attached; however, the upper engine cowling was not located or recovered.
Examination of the left wing and wing center section revealed the main spar remained attached to the inboard attach point but was bent aft and fractured due to bending overload about 12 inches outboard of the attach bolt. The aft spar attach bolt was in place but the aft spar fitting was bent forward and overload fractured about 1 inch outboard of the attach bolt. The separated section of the wing exhibited a 45 degree compression wrinkle on the upper wing skin surface that begins about midspan of the aileron extending through the main and aft spars to about the outboard edge of the aileron. Both aileron control cables remained attached to the bellcrank near the control surface, and were pulled inboard towards the fuselage tearing the upper wing skin for about 21 inches. The cables were fractured and exhibited tension overload near the wing attach. The aileron containing a fixed tab remained attached at all three hinge points but the flap was separated and not recovered. The flap actuator push/pull rod near the control surface was fractured and exhibited tension overload. The inboard bearing bracket was not fractured, while the middle flap hinge was bent outboard with a section of flap still attached. The outboard flap/aileron hinge bracket was bent outboard. The inboard 39 inches of the leading edge was crushed. The fuel cap was in place, and with the airplane in a nose-low attitude, fuel escaped from the opening when the fuel cap was unscrewed. Although the amount of fuel was not quantified, it was consistent with a nearly full fuel tank. The tip tank was separated but recovered; no fuel remained in the breached tank. The aluminum fuel supply line from the tip tank was fractured near the wing separation point. Air was blown into the fuel line at the fracture point and no obstructions were noted from the line fracture point to the engine compartment with the fuel selector in the as-found “B” position. The main landing gear was down and locked. The flap actuator push/pull rod exhibited bending overload approximately 9 inches outboard from the bellcrank attach point near the actuating cylinder.
Examination of the right wing and wing center section revealed the outer wing panel was removed at the attach point by normal disassembly method during the recovery process. The main spar was displaced aft. Fuel was dripping from the tip tank fuel supply line where disconnected for recovery at the wing attach point. The dripping fuel was captured into a glass jar and found to be blue colored fuel consistent with 100LL mixed with water. The inboard 38 inches of the wing leading edge was crushed aft. The tip tank remained attached but was breached and did not contain any fuel; air was blown into the tip tank fuel supply line at the wing attach point and no obstructions were noted from the line to the engine compartment with the fuel selector in the as-found “B” position. The aileron equipped with a fixed tab remained attached at all hinges. The middle hinge of the aileron was bent inboard. The aileron flight control cables remained connected to the bellcrank near the control surface but were cut near the wing attach point during the recovery process. The flap was separated and not recovered. The flap actuator push/pull rod remained connected to the flap attach bracket, while the inboard flap hinge hole showed deformation of the hole. The middle flap hinge has section of flap attached by the bolt, castellated nut, and cotter pin. The remaining portion of the flap exhibited overload fracture. The outboard flap hinge has the bracket attached. A metal fuel tank was installed in the wing cavity; however, it was not equipped with a provision for a fuel cap. The main landing gear was down and locked. A compression wrinkle was noted in the lower wing skin from the leading edge of the wing to the aft spar of the wing; the wrinkle was noted between the middle and outboard aileron hinges. The flap actuator push/pull rod exhibited bending overload approximately 15 inches outboard from the bellcrank attach point near the actuating cylinder.
Examination of the fuselage and empennage revealed the fuselage was circumferentially fractured near the rear window and remained connected by the battery cable and flight control cables. Compression wrinkles were noted on the right side of the fuselage aft of the battery compartment area. The vertical stabilizer was separated from the airplane but recovered. The front spar attach rivets of the vertical stabilizer were sheared, and the aft spar bracket exhibited overload fracture. The separated vertical stabilizer exhibited a compression wrinkle on the right side indicating displacement to the right. The rudder was separated from the vertical stabilizer but remained connected to the airplane by the flight control cables. The upper and lower rudder attach bolts remained connected to the vertical stabilizer. Both horizontals were separated at the root but recovered; the structure exhibited overload failure. Both elevator primary control surfaces remained connected to each separated horizontal stabilizer, while the elevator trim tab remained attached to the left elevator. The elevator push/pull rods exhibited cup and cone fractures consistent with tension overload. The elevator trim tab appeared neutral; the elevator trim tab actuator drum exhibited 6 wraps on the forward side and 4 wraps on the aft side, also consistent with the neutral position. The elevator jackscrew had 4 full threads exposed aft of the trim tab actuator housing. The flap actuator cylinder was at the forward stop consistent with the flaps full down position.
Examination of the cockpit revealed the front windshield was nearly completely missing. The No. 1 communication transceiver was set to the FRG airport automated terminal information service (ATIS) frequency of 126.650 megahertz. A knob located on the co-pilot’s side of the instrument panel that controlled the cockpit and cabin heat was partially extended, while a knob that controlled fresh air into the cockpit and cabin was extended about 1.75 inches and was bent to the right. Bowden wire continuity was established for both knobs; however, movement of the knob for the cabin heat did not move the valve at the firewall, it only resulted in flexing of the cable housing that was only secured by 1 plastic tie wrap. The corresponding valve positions on the cockpit and firewall sides were both open, though impact damage was noted to the lower left portion of the firewall. Also, the housing near the control knob was split, and bent to the left, which allowed movement of the cable housing with movement of the knob. The second valve installed on the lower center portion of the firewall which allows ram or fresh air into the cockpit and cabin was completely closed on the firewall side. The fuel selector was found positioned to the “B” position and was in the detent, which corresponded to fuel being supplied by both wing tip fuel tanks.
An approximate 9 ounce sample was collected from the main fuel tank. The 9 ounce sample consisted of approximately just under 6 ounces of cloudy water consistent with salt water and the remainder being blue colored fuel consistent with 100LL. A second sample of 8 ounces was collected which consisted entirely of blue colored fuel consistent with 100LL.
Testing of the fuel supply system was performed with the fuel selector position to the main position; no obstructions were noted to the engine compartment.
Examination of the Lycoming O-360-A1A engine, serial number L-2038-36, revealed the No 3 cylinder top spark plug lead was finger loose; however, abrasion damage was noted to the barrel nut. Additionally, the intake and exhaust valve pushrod seals for the No. 4 cylinder were noted to be pushed in; however, impact damage on the left side of the engine was noted, and there was no evidence of an oil leak in the area. The exhaust stack assembly for the No. 2 cylinder was separated at the inlet of the muffler. A crease on the lower portion of the No. 2 cylinder exhaust stack extended from the fracture surface forward approximately 3.0 inches in length. The crease nearly collapsed the complete wall thickness near the fracture surface and was progressively less in depth moving forward, while the mating fracture surface at the muffler did not exhibit any discernible deformation. The oil filler dipstick was in place but separated at the engine attach point; safety wire securing the dipstick to the engine was broken. Crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train continuity was confirmed, and suction and compression was noted in each cylinder during hand rotation of the crankshaft. Borescope examination of each cylinder revealed no anomalies noted. Magneto to engine timing could not be confirmed because the ring timing gear was fractured; however, both magnetos were tightly secured to the accessory case. The magnetos were removed from the engine, dried using compressed air, and rotated by hand revealing spark at all ignition towers. The carburetor was fractured across the throttle bore and was retained by the throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat control cables. Disassembly inspection of the carburetor revealed no fuel or debris inside the carburetor float bowl, and no anomalies noted. Inspection and hand operation of the engine-driven fuel pump revealed no discrepancies noted. The auxiliary fuel pump which remained attached to the firewall was inspected by removal of the pump filter; no debris was noted. The filter had an odor consistent with that of aviation fuel. A section of exhaust from the No. 2 cylinder was retained for further examination.
The exhaust system was loosely attached to the engine, and the lower engine cowling was placed in proper position in order to mock-up the components. Although impact damage was noted to the No. 2 cylinder exhaust riser which caused damage at the repaired area of the exhaust, the mock-up depicted heat damage on the interior surface of the cowling and the proximity of the exhaust system components.
Examination of the propeller which remained secured to the engine revealed blade marked “A” exhibited spanwise scratches on the cambered side of the blade and did not exhibit any appreciable bend or blade twisting, while the blade marked “B” exhibited some chordwise and spanwise scratches on the cambered side of the blade and was bent aft about 5 degrees at about ¾ span and was twisted towards low pitch.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Postmortem examinations of the pilot and passenger were performed by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death for both was listed as blunt force trauma.
Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens of the pilot and passenger by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and also the Division of Medical-Legal Investigation and Forensic Sciences, Suffolk County, New York. The toxicology report for the pilot by FAA stated the results were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and tested drugs. The toxicology report for the pilot by the Division of Medical-Legal Investigation and Forensic Sciences stated the results were negative for ethanol, carbon monoxide, basic and acidic drugs.
The toxicology report for the passenger by FAA stated the results were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and tested drugs. The toxicology report for the passenger by the Division of Medical-Legal Investigation and Forensic Sciences stated the results were negative for ethanol, carbon monoxide, basic and acidic drugs.
TEST AND RESEARCH
An individual who was in Moriches Inlet on a boat equipped with a recording camera provided the SD card and operating software to NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division in an effort to determine if the accident sequence was captured.
According to the NTSB Image Recorder Specialist’s Factual Report, no files were found on the SD card. Recovery software was used to recover a large number of proprietary video files; however, no video files depicted the accident site. The owner of camera reported to NTSB there may have been operational issues with the recording system at the time of the accident.
On the morning of the accident date the pilot flew from FRG (home base airport) to Brookhaven Airport (HWV); the flight duration was about 41 minutes as determined by the on-board GPS receiver. The pilot did not fly while at HWV, and while there about 1220, the main tank was filled per his request. The flight departed HWV about 1247, and flew to 1N2 arriving there about 1318 based on GPS data. While there the pilot and passenger had lunch with a friend at the airport; no maintenance was performed while at 1N2.
The individual who had lunch with the pilot and passenger advised the NTSB that while at lunch, the pilot “looked sweaty, but the doctor was not.” She stated that the pilot was heavy in the stomach and the doctor/passenger was thin. She said goodbye to the pilot, and both occupants boarded the airplane which was then taxied to the approach end of runway 18, and paused. The witness at that time was located outside on the east side of the departure end of runway 18.She watched the takeoff and noted the airplane rotated about the first 1/3 of the runway, began climbing and noted the landing gear retracted. To her the engine sounded fine during the takeoff. She also reported that the pilot flew the airplane into 1N2 on September 1st or 2nd, 2012, and after arrival he complained about the heater and the fact that he could not shut it off.
Examination of the retained portion of the exhaust by the NTSB Materials Laboratory revealed the fracture surface exhibited a rough grainy surface consistent with an overload event, on a uniform pipe thickness that measured 0.027 to 0.025 inch thick. No evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction was noted. Examination of the repaired area of the exhaust revealed the patch repairs displayed a rough uneven lumpy appearance but did not exhibit any indications of escaping exhaust gases. Further, cracks in the weld repaired area were consistent with compression buckling related to impact damage.
NTSB Identification: ERA13FA032
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 20, 2012 in East Moriches, NY
Aircraft: Swift Museum Foundation, Inc. GC-1A, registration: N80823
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On October 20, 2012, about 1506 eastern daylight time, a Swift Museum Foundation, Inc., GC-1A, N80823, registered to and operated by a private individual, impacted the water of Moriches Inlet, East Moriches, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Spadaro Airport (1N2), East Moriches, New York, to Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot and 1 passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from 1N2 about 1500.
On the morning of the accident date the pilot flew from the home base airport (Republic Airport), to Brookhaven Airport (HWV). He did not fly while there and at 1220, the main tank was filled for the pilot’s request. The flight departed HWV and flew to 1N2 arriving there between 1315 and 1330. While there the pilot and passenger had lunch with a friend at the airport; no maintenance was performed while at 1N2.
After lunch the pilot started the engine, taxied to the approach end of runway 18 and departed. One witness reported that the airplane became airborne about the first 1/3 of the runway and saw the landing gear retract. She also reported that to her the engine sounded fine. Another witness who is an airframe and powerplant mechanic and who was located near the departure end of runway 18 heard a sound from the engine that caught his attention. At that time the airplane was past the departure end of runway 18 about 100 feet above ground level (agl). He described the sound as an “after noise” which he had trouble describing. He thought because of the abnormal sound the pilot would return but he did not. The witness did not see any smoke trailing the airplane.
One witness who was located at his house which was located about 14 miles west of the crash site reported seeing a red colored airplane with tip tanks (matches the accident airplane’s description) flying 20 to 30 feet agl in an easterly direction. The witness advised FAA the airplane flew about 100 feet abeam from his deck.
Another witness who was driving eastbound on the beach near the Moriches Inlet (close proximity to the accident site) reported the airplane flew overhead his position about 30 feet agl. The witness heard a sputtering engine, and assumed that the airplane was in distress, and was going to land on the beach. He then lost sight of the airplane and assumed it had impacted the water in the inlet. Another witness who was on the west jetty immediately adjacent to the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying low with a sputtering engine. He called 911 at 1506 to report the accident. One witness who was located about 1,000 to 1,500 feet west of the inlet also reported seeing a low flying airplane. The witness stated that the low flying airplane spooked a flock of birds which lifted off. The witness then reported seeing the airplane pitch up followed by a pitch nose down and impact in the water.
An individual who was in a boat in the Moriches Inlet at Buoy 3 facing southwest observed the airplane flying in an easterly direction, turning to the west, then saw the left wing drop, followed by it going out of sight.
Cyril McLavin, originally from Dysart in Co. Westmeath
Photo by courtesy Greg Semendinger
A small plane crash claimed the lives of an Irish immigrant and his longtime friend off Long Island this past weekend.
Cyril McLavin, originally from Dysart in Co. Westmeath was killed when his private plane spun out of control and plunged into the sea on Sunday afternoon.
The crash occurred near Fire Island shortly after takeoff before 3pm last Sunday, according to CBS New York.
According to police, the red and white Low Wing Globe Swift private plane had just taken off from Spadaro Airport in nearby East Moriches. The crash happened at the east end of Fire Island and the plane sank shortly after impact in about 15 to 20 feet of water.
The two victims were identified as Cyril Mclavin, 51, of Fresh Meadows and Dr Andrew Messana, 72, of Bayside. Their two bodies were recovered just after 11pm on Saturday night.
Susan Spadaro, the owner of the airport, said that the two men spent the day giving kids plane rides as part of a charity event at Brookhaven Airport.
“The only reason they took the plane out was to help at the event,” Spadaro told the NY Post.
“We had heroes for lunch, and then they took off. A few minutes later, they were gone.”
“They were great guys and loved to fly,” she added.
A witness who heard the plane in distress said he heard a loud noise.
“You could see he was in panic mode because the motor was sputtering and he was losing the motor,” the witness told CBS 2′s Cindy Hsu. “When he hit, a very loud noise and that was the last that would happen to him.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has begun an investigation into what caused the single-engine plane to crash.
The New York Post has reported that an Irish man, Cyril McLavin (51), originally from Dysart, Co Westmeath, was killed in an air crash in his private plane.
According to the report McLavin had just taken off from Spadaro airport on Long Island in the company of his flying companion Dr. Andrew Messana (72), when the 1946 Globe GC-1A plunged into Moriches Inlet.
The men had been helping at a charity event in which they had given children plane rides from Brookhaven Airport in an event sponsored by an aviation group. The crash is reported to have happened about 3pm local time on Saturday.
“The only reason they took the plane out was to help at the event,” Susan Spadaro, owner of the airport, said. “We had heroes for lunch, and then they took off. A few minutes later, they were gone.”
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 80823 Make/Model: GC1A Description: GLOBE GC-1A
Date: 10/20/2012 Time: 1930
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: EAST MORICHES State: NY Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE
FATALLY INJURED, EAST MORICHES, NY
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
# Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: FARMINGDALE, NY (EA11) Entry date: 10/22/2012
http://registry.faa.gov/N80823
BROOKHAVEN (WABC) -- A small plane that crashed off the coast of Long Island Saturday, and the bodies of two men inside, have been pulled from the water. Coast Guard Petty Officer Erik Swanson said the bodies of two men and the plane were retrieved from the inlet shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday, about eight hours after the crash.
The aircraft went down around 3 p.m. in Moriches inlet, near the eastern end of Fire Island. After it crashed, it sunk in about 15 to 20 feet of water. Suffolk County police divers worked to reach the occupants for hours after the plane sank.
Medics had remained on the scene for hours after the crash in case the two survived, but they were submerged for hours and presumed dead because water had come into the cabin.
The Globe Swift aircraft departed Spadaro Airport, not far from where it crashed, earlier Saturday.
Good Samaritans on a nearby boat were first on the scene, and tried to keep the plane above water but tying a rope to it, but the aircraft sank.
The Federal Aviation Administration was sending inspectors to the crash site.
The victims have not yet been identified.
Suffolk County Parks Police assisted at Smith Point County Park while dvers tried to rescue people on board a plane that crashed into Moriches Inlet on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012.
Suffolk County police divers are working into the night to try and rescue a reported two people from a small airplane that crashed into Moriches Inlet in East Moriches and sank under about 30 feet of water on Saturday afternoon.
A U.S. Coast Guard boat from nearby Station Shinneock was first on the scene after witnesses called 911 reporting the low-flying aircraft sputtering over the east end of Smith Point County Park on Fire Island and hit the water before going under shortly after 3 p.m.
“We’re going as long as it takes,” Mark Avrill, command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, said after a boom crane truck was brought on the beach at about 8 p.m. to assist in the operation.
Two teams of three divers are alternating in shifts in the 64-degree water as they try to free the victims, a task that became harder when the plane sank upside down and settled on a rock jetty, Deputy Inspector Chris Hatton, chief of the Marine Bureau, told reporters at a press conference near the scene.
He did not speculate on the condition of the victims, although other local news outlets have reported that the pair are presumed dead. Det. Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick, chief of the Homicide Squad, was on the scene.
Federal Aviation Administration and National Safety Transportation Board investigators will continue the probe once police resurface the wreckage. An FAA spokeswoman said the the Globe Swift took off from Spadaro Airport in East Moriches, but it was not immediately clear where it was destined.
Fishermen in the area who reported the crash tried to rescue the pilot and passenger but were unable to open the cockpit door, the Coast Guard said. They tied a rope to the plane to prevent it from drifting while the tide was going out at the time.
Hatton said the witnesses reported a “large chunk” of the plane fell off, although it was unclear if that was before or after the plane crashed.
The incident came after a single-engine plane crash landed and burst into flames about eight miles away on a Shirley side street minutes after taking off from nearby Calabro Airport in August, killing two and critically injuring a third person. It is also a few miles from where TWA Flight 800 exploded over the Atlantic Ocean on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 on board.
Moriches Inlet, formed by the hurricane of 1938, is considered such a treacherous passage between the ocean and Moriches Bay that it is not marked by buoys because the Coast Guard officially considers it “non-navigable.”
-With Rashed Mian
At 3:06pm today, a small plane crashed in the Moriches Inlet and sank. The Coast Guard and Marine Bureau arrived at the scene along with members of the Mastic Beach Ambulance and Mastic Fire Department and Rocky Point Search and Rescue trying to recover victims from the wreck.
Dave Didio who saw the plane flying low said that he was fishing by cut 3, approximately a 1/2 mile from the end. “I saw a red and white plane go by. He wasn’t flying very high, about a hundred feet up. I heard one little noise from the plane, that is what made me turn around and then I saw the plane continue on.”
Two witnesses who were fishing on the jetty saw a plane coming right towards them. They said that they quickly ran and hid behind their truck to protect themselves. They explained how the plane was feet away from hitting them and then it nosedived into the water. The front of the plane quickly submerged into the water followed by the rest of the aircraft.
A man with his two young grandchildren were on the beach when they saw the plane flying about 15 feet above the water and then crash. At the time that they saw the plane, they did not hear any motor sounds. The plane came gliding in, turned slightly and plunged propeller first into the inlet.
Steven Congemi who was boating in the inlet at the time of the crash stated, “We just heard it crash. At first we thought it was a boat until we saw the tail sticking out of water. We then motored quickly to help along with other boaters. My mate Brian Dawson hooked the anchor around one of the wheels and threw the line to someone on the rocks. Someone from another vessel jumped in but couldnt get to them.”
At this time, there is no word on who was piloting the plane or how many people were on board. The Suffolk County Police stated, “At this time they are still in the water, trying to put more cables on the plane to lift it out of the water and they do not know how many victims there are. It’s dark, there’s a strong current and the visibility is next to zero.”
