Raven, N79ZR: Fatal accident occurred July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, New York

NTSB Identification: ERA14LA330 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, NY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/05/2016
Aircraft: ZUBAIR S KHAN RAVEN, registration: N79ZR
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The airplane departed its home airport for a local flight. Radar data indicated that, about 9 minutes after departure, the airplane was at 7,400 ft mean sea level (msl) and had begun a left 270-degree turn. The last radar return, which was recorded about 1 minute later, showed the airplane about 1,100 ft msl, which correlates to an approximate 6,000 ft-per-minute descent. The airplane was found the following day floating on top of the water in a sound and was subsequently recovered. The pilot’s parachute pack was found deployed and partially wrapped around the propeller. The airplane’s canopy was not present; however, it was located several weeks later floating in the water. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any mechanical failure or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. 

The airplane’s calculated center of gravity (CG) was about 3 inches beyond the aft CG limit, which likely induced longitudinal instability and led to a subsequent deep, unrecoverable stall. The canopy examination and the as-found condition of the parachute pack indicated that the canopy was likely opened in flight. Therefore, the pilot likely recognized that the stall was unrecoverable and attempted to bail out of the airplane but was unsuccessful.

Although toxicology testing showed that the pilot had used marijuana at some time before the accident, the low levels detected in the pilot’s specimens indicated that he was not likely significantly impaired by its use at the time of the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to ensure that the airplane was loaded within its calculated center of gravity limits, which resulted in longitudinal instability and a subsequent unrecoverable stall.
 
HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 6, 2014, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Raven, N79ZR, was substantially damaged when it impacted the water in the vicinity of Mattituck, New York. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight originated at Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, about 1855.

The airplane was located floating on top of the water of Long Island Sound, the following morning by a private individual.

According to radar data, the airplane was first observed at 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) south of HWV. The airplane turned left towards the north and continued to climb to about 8,500 feet msl as it went over the north shoreline and continued flight over Long Island Sound. The airplane subsequently began to descend. At 1904:18, radar data indicated that the airplane was at 7,400 feet msl and began a left 270° turn towards the east. At 1904:33, radar data indicated that the airplane was traveling in an east direction and was at 5,800 feet msl. The last radar return was recorded at 1905:19, and indicated an altitude of about 1,100 feet msl.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 41, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land issued June 21, 2005, and a third-class airman medical certificate issued June 11, 2013, with no limitations. The pilot's logbook was not recovered for examination. On the pilot's June 11, 2013, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical application, he reported 220 total flight hours. According to a statement provided by a flight instructor, the pilot had satisfactorily completed a flight review on April 6, 2014; however, at the time of the flight review, the pilot's total flight time was not recorded.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, composite canard airplane, with retractable landing gear was manufactured in 2014 and issued an airworthiness certificate on February 7, 2014. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-C1A engine driving a Catto Glass Carbon Composite 3-Blade propeller. Review of the aircraft maintenance logbook records showed that a condition inspection was completed on February 7, 2014 at a recorded time of 20.1 hours. The Hobbs meter was not located at the accident site and airframe operating time could not be conclusively determined.

The airplane was equipped with a front-hinged canopy which functioned as the front windshield, side windows, and cabin roof. The canopy was the only access to and from the cockpit. A primary latch lever mounted in the cockpit operated four latch pins.

Weight and balance information, computed on January 30, 2013, indicated that the airplane's maximum gross takeoff weight was 2,200 pounds and the designed center of gravity (CG) range was 95 to 99.5 inches aft of datum. Utilizing the computed information, the airplane's weight at the time of takeoff was about 1,818 pounds and the CG was 102.2 inches aft of datum. The investigation was not able to determine if the pilot had performed a weight and balance or why he elected to operate the airplane out of CG.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1853 recorded weather observation at Westhampton Beach, The Gabreski Airport (KFOK), Westhampton Beach, New York, located about 10 miles to the south of the last recorded radar return, included wind from 220 degrees at 9 knots with gusts of 17 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, and barometric altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located at 41°3'53.7" N and 072°41.418" W, about 4 miles north of the north shore of Long Island and about 20 miles northeast of the departure airport.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer revealed damage to fuselage, left wingtip leading edge, and the right canard trailing edge. The damage was consistent with a left wing low attitude when it impacted the water. The pilot had a personal parachute pack, and when recovered, photographic evidence revealed that the parachute had been deployed, remained attached to the pilot, trailing behind the airplane, and wrapped around the propeller. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, neither the bolts nor the canopy were present.

Flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces from the cockpit control, except for the rudders. Rudder continuity was confirmed from the cable fracture point in the vicinity of the rudder pedals to the rudder control surfaces; however, the rudder pedals were absent.

The left wing and left canard remained attached to the fuselage. The left wing exhibited leading edge damage which extended from the wingtip inward approximately 4 feet.

The nose section exhibited impact damage and was partially fractured on the right side circumferentially around the bottom of the nose but remained partially attached on the left side. The nose wheel remained attached and was partially extended. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the forward section of the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, no bolts nor the canopy were present.

The canopy was subsequently located July 9, 2014, floating on top of the water, about 39 miles northeast of the last recorded radar return. The canopy remained intact and the windscreen was not damaged. A video camera remained attached to the canopy; however, no recording of the accident flight was able to be extracted from the camera memory. The canopy quick release mechanism remained attached to the canopy and was found in the released position. The four locking pins and associated locking pin holes exhibited no distortion and were unremarkable. The four pins were reinstalled into the locking pin holes and appeared to lock into place. The quick release line was pulled by an FAA inspector and all four pins released and operated normally.

The instrument panel exhibited impact damage but remained attached to the forward portion of the cockpit. The throttle lever handle was impact separated; however, the lower portion of the throttle lever arm remained attached and was in the full forward or "OPEN" position. The mixture lever was in the full forward or full "rich" position. The fuel selector valve was in the "BOTH" position. The landing gear position indicator located aft of the fuel selector valve indicated three "UP" positions. Both ignition switches were found guarded and in the "ON" position. The glareshield included circuit breakers and several switches. The following switches were found in the on position: Master, Radio Master, Landing Light, Strobe Lights, Pitot Heat, Spare Circuit, and Fuel Pump. The left side control stick remained attached to the control column.

The left and right cockpit molded seats remained attached and had various fractures located along the back. Both seatbelts and shoulder harnesses remained attached to the associated attach point; however, the right seat belt and should harness had been cut by first responders to facilitate recovery of the occupant.

The right wing and right canard remained attached to the airplane. The right rudder remained attached to the winglet at all hinge points. The right aileron remained attached at all hinge points.

Both fuel caps remained secured and in place. Each fuel tank indicated a 30 gallon capacity.

The aft pusher engine compartment remained attached to the fuselage and the firewall was not damaged. The lower and upper engine cowlings exhibited impact damage but remained attached to the fuselage. The engine assembly remained attached to all engine mounts. The composite three-blade propeller remained attached to the propeller crankshaft flange. The propeller blades were not damaged, and the personal parachute canopy and associated cords were found wrapped around the blades and hub.

Examination of the engine assembly revealed that the left and right engine exhaust pipes exhibited impact crush damage at the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders. All induction tubes were attached to their respective attached points.

The throttle cable remained attached to the throttle control arm on the fuel injector servo and was at mid-range. The mixture control remained attached to the mixture control arm and was in the full rich position. The fuel injector servo was removed and contained fuel. The fuel injector servo fuel inlet screen was removed and free of contaminants. The fuel injector servo regulator section was disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel flow divider was removed, disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel injector nozzles were removed from all cylinders and no anomalies were noted.

The engine was subsequently partially disassembled. The engine was rotated by hand using the propeller. Suction and compression was obtained on all cylinders. Valve train continuity was observed through all cylinder rocker arms. The accessory drive gears were observed rotating. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was verified. A detailed "Memorandum of Record - Engine Examination Report" with accompanying pictures is contained in the public docket for this investigation.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOCIAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot on July 7, 2014, by Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office, Hauppauge, New York. The autopsy reported the cause of death as "multiple blunt impact injuries," and the report listed the specific injuries.

Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report stated no carbon monoxide detected in the blood (Cavity) and no ethanol was detected in the urine. The report listed the following drug being detected:
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in the blood (Heart)
- 0.005 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Urine
- 0.0015 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Blood (Heart)

According to the FAA Aerospace Medical Research website, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive compound found in marijuana and has effects at levels as low as 0.001 ug/ml. THC has mood altering effects causing euphoria, relaxed inhibitions, sense of well-being, disorientation, image distortion, and psychosis. The ability to concentrate and maintain attention are decreased during marijuana use. Tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid is the inactive metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A fuel receipt was located revealing that the airplane had been fueled at HWV, at 1837 on the day of the accident, with 53 gallons of fuel.

The Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3A) Chapter 15, which states in part, "…once the stall has developed and a large amount of lift has been lost, the airplane will begin to sink rapidly and this will be accompanied by a corresponding rapid increase in angle of attack. This is the beginning of what is termed a deep stall. As an airplane enters a deep stall, increasing drag reduces forward speed to well below normal stall speed. The sink rate may increase to many thousands of feet per minute. The airplane eventually stabilizes in a vertical descent…it must be emphasized that this situation can occur without an excessively nose-high pitch attitude…Deep stalls are virtually unrecoverable."

Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A)

Section 4 "Aerodynamics of Flight" states "The CG range is very important when it comes to stall recovery characteristics. If an aircraft is allowed to be operated outside of the CG, the pilot may have difficulty recovering from a stall. The most critical CG violation would occur when operating with a CG which exceeds the rear limit. In this situation, a pilot may not be able to generate sufficient force with the elevator to counteract the excess weight aft of the CG. With the ability to decrease the AOA [angle of attack], the aircraft continues in a stalled condition until it contacts the ground."

The section further goes on and states the following: "Longitudinal stability is the quality that makes an aircraft stable about its lateral axis. It involves the pitching motion as the aircraft's nose moves up and down in flight. A longitudinally unstable aircraft has a tendency to dive or climb progressively into a very steep dive or climb, or even a stall. Thus, an aircraft with longitudinal instability becomes difficult and sometimes dangerous to fly.

Static longitudinal stability or instability in an aircraft, is dependent upon three factors:
1. Location of the wing with respect to the CG
2. Location of the horizontal tail surfaces with respect to the CG
3. Area or size of the tail surfaces"

The "Glossary" defines CG as "the point at which an airplane would balance if it were possible to suspend it at that point. It is the mass center of the airplane, or the theoretical point at which the entire weight of the airplane is assume to be concentrated. It may expressed in inches from the reference datum, or in percentage of mean aerodynamic chord (MAC). The location depends on the distribution of weight in the airplane."

Deep Stall

According to a book titled "The Light Airplane Pilot's Guide to Stall/Spin Awareness" a deep stall is "…when the horizontal tail of a conventional airplane becomes buried in the main wing's tail wake and loses its power to push the nose down, or with a canard design when the main wing stalls before the canard does. In both cases, the airplane seeks a higher angle of attack, usually above 40 degrees, and stabilizes there. There may not be enough elevator authority to reduce the angle of attack for recovery."

According to Advisory Circular AC90-109 Section 5c(6) "It's also possible, even for a seemingly carefree handling airplane, to achieve what some have called a deep stall, where there is not sufficient nose-down pitch authority to break the stall, possibly creating an unrecoverable situation. Some airplanes can pitch nose-up before the stall, resulting in a rapid stall entry unless the pilot counters with a conscious forward yoke/stick motion."

Raven, N79ZR: Fatal accident occurred July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, New York 

Challenger, N31686: July 2014 in East Moriches, New York


Experimental amateur-built aircraft -- a class of planes that includes the single-engine Fargnoli Vincent Challenger that was twice forced to land on Sunrise Highway last summer -- are more likely to be involved in accidents compared to non-amateur-built aircraft, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

When it comes to deadly crashes, the rate per 1,000 aircraft is 2½ to 3 times higher.

"E-ABs [experimental amateur built] have experienced a disproportionate number of accidents relative both to their proportion of the general aviation fleet, and their share of general aviation flight activity," according to the NTSB report.

Experimental amateur-built aircraft represent nearly 10 percent of the general aviation fleet in the United States but accounted for about 15 percent of the total accidents in 2011, said the NTSB, which conducted a safety study and issued a report in 2012. When it comes to deadly crashes, they accounted for 21 percent of the accidents.

"Accident analyses indicate that power plant failures and loss of control in flight are the most common accident occurrences by a large margin, and that accident occurrences are similar for both new and used aircraft," the study said.

There have been 1,277 accidents involving home-built aircraft this year in the United States, six of them in New York, according to the NTSB database. Half of accidents that occurred in New York were fatal, including the crash that killed Zubair S. Khan, 41, of Manhattan, a vice president of derivatives trading technology at Barclays Capital.

Khan's fixed-wing Raven plunged into Long Island Sound on July 6 at 7:05 p.m., about 10 minutes after the pilot left Brookhaven Calabro Airport in Shirley, according to the NTSB accident report.

The figure did not include the two times in July when Frank Fierro, 75, of Lake Ronkonkoma, was forced to put down his yellow Fargnoli Vincent Challenger on Sunrise Highway in East Moriches after experiencing engine trouble shortly after takeoff.

An experimental amateur-built aircraft is one in which the majority of the plane has been fabricated and assembled by an individual or a group of people who are doing it for their own education or recreation. The planes are built by aviation enthusiasts, often at home, either from original designs or from kits. They include airplanes and light-sport aircraft such as fixed-wing, gyroplane, rotorcraft, weight-shift-control and powered parachute. A pilot's license is required to operate amateur-built aircraft, which are subject to annual inspections.

Nationwide, there are about 33,000 of these planes in service, said Dick Knapinski, a spokesman for the Wisconsin-based Experimental Aircraft Association, which has more than 170,000 members worldwide, 3,756 in New York.

A large percentage of the accidents happened during the early stages of operating these aircraft, when pilots were learning how to maneuver unfamiliar planes, the study found. Accidents were also common shortly after an owner bought a used aircraft.

Knapinski said his group has been working with the Federal Aviation Administration to provide training to aviators, many of whom are experienced pilots, but may have little or no skill flying a particular type of aircraft.

That's what happened to Fierro, who said he bought the yellow Fargnoli Vincent Challenger from someone else and was attempting to fly the plane when it experienced engine failure both times.

On July 10, Fierro, who said he has been flying since 1956, was forced to put the plane on the median of Sunrise Highway as alarmed motorists called police to report a downed plane. Eight days later, Fierro took the plane out for another spin when, he believed, a blown fuse caused the engine trouble. This time Fierro landed the bright yellow aircraft on the busy highway. After the midair crises, Fierro said he donated the single-engine plane to an out-of-state group that may use it for parts.

Khan, too, was a longtime pilot who had recently built his own plane and had been taking it on flight tests, according to his friends.

Three weeks before the fatal crash, a YouTube video posted under an account bearing Khan's name showed he had trouble with the nose gear during landing. The video showed the Mastic Fire Department met the plane on the runway when it landed.

Operators of ultralights -- such as Erwin S. Rodger, 71, who was forced to land his Mosquito helicopter on a sod farm in Aquebogue last month -- don't need a pilot's license or an inspection to fly them. The FAA doesn't consider an ultralight an aircraft, but a vehicle.

Rodger was practicing a drill in which he tried to land the helicopter without power; when he tried to turn the power back on, however, the engine wouldn't start, according to a copy of the police report. It was the second time in three years that Rodger, who police said built the ultralight, was forced to make an emergency landing.

"The assumption is made that a person who elects to operate an uncertificated vehicle alone is aware of the risks involved," according to the FAA.

Since the FAA does not investigate incidents involving ultralights, their safety records were not part of the study.

The FAA began regulating ultralights in the 1980s, putting limits on the aircraft's weight, speed and flying conditions -- restrictions that remain in effect today. Under FAA guidelines, an ultralight can carry one person and no more than five gallons of fuel, which allows a pilot to fly for 1½ to 2 hours, said Rob Heymach, president of Experimental Amateur-Built Aircraft Chapter 528 in Suffolk. The aircraft's maximum weight is 254 pounds and the top speed is 55 knots or 63 mph.

Heymach said six to eight of his members operate ultralights.

"The slow speed and weight make the risk factor so low," Heymach said. "If an ultralight gets into a head-on collision with a car or boat, the ultralight would bounce off without damaging the car or the boat."

Article and Comments:   http://www.newsday.com

NTSB Identification: ERA14LA330
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, NY
Aircraft: ZUBAIR S KHAN RAVEN, registration: N79ZR
Injuries: 1 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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 6, 2014, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Raven, N79ZR, impacted the water in the vicinity of Mattituck, New York. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was located the following day floating in the Long Island Sound and sustained substantial damage to fuselage and nose section. The airplane was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, about 1855.

According to radar data, the airplane was first observed at 1200 feet above mean sea level (msl) south of HWV. Then, about 1856, the airplane turned north and continued to climb to about 8500 feet msl as it went over the shoreline. About 1904, the airplane was at 7000 feet msl and began a left 270 degree turn to the east and descended during the turn to about 5800 feet msl. The last radar return was recorded about 1905 and indicated an altitude of about 1100 feet msl.

A fuel receipt was located revealing that the airplane had been fueled at HWV, at 1837 on the day of the accident, with 53 gallons of fuel.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer revealed damage to fuselage, left wingtip leading edge, and the right canard trailing edge. The pilot had a personal parachute pack, and when recovered, the parachute had been deployed, remained attached, and was found trailing behind the airplane. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, no bolts nor the canopy were present. The canopy was subsequently located July 9, 2014, floating in the water, about 39 miles northeast of the last recorded radar return.

Zubair S. Khan, N79ZR: http://registry.faa.gov/N79ZR

AIRCRAFT EXPERIMENTAL RAVEN CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO THE WATER AT LONG ISLAND SOUND, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, 4 MILES FROM MATTITUCK, LONG ISLAND, NY 

Flight Standards District Office: FAA Farmingdale FSDO-11 

Investigators: Plane had crashed 14 hours before it was found

An initial federal investigation has revealed the home-built plane that crashed in Long Island Sound last week went down Sunday night, roughly 14 hours before it was first discovered floating off Mattituck.

The cause of the fatal crash that killed 41-year-old pilot Zubair Khan has not yet been determined, investigators said.

The preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday found that Mr. Khan took off in his experimental single-engine aircraft from Brookhaven Callabro Airport about 6:55 p.m. last Sunday.

The plane turned north from the airport and climbed to about 8,500 feet as it flew over the shoreline, according to the report. About 7:04 p.m., radar spotted the plane making a hard left turn and descending to about 5,800 feet.

About a minute later, according to the report, the plane was picked up on radar just 1,100 feet above sea level. That was the last sign of the craft on radar, the report found.

Investigators found that the plane left in good conditions for visual flying and did not file a flight plan.

Mr. Khan’s family said last week that it was concerned the crash was not reported until Monday even though Mr. Khan had departed the airport the day before. His brother-in-law, Umar Niazi, questioned why a search and rescue effort wasn’t conducted Sunday evening. 

 “This all seems very strange,” Mr. Niazi wrote in an email.

A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said Brookhaven’s airport is “non-towered,” meaning there is no control tower coordinating flights.

It’s common for smaller planes to take off and land at these airports without notifying authorities, the spokesman said.

“As long as you can fly and see what’s ahead of you … those flights take place all the time,” he said. “There’s really no way of knowing how many of those aircraft are flying at any one time.”

NTSB investigators said Mr. Khan was fatally injured in the crash and was found inside the plane Monday morning, with a personal parachute pack deployed and still attached.

The plane suffered “substantial damage” to its fuselage and nose, the report states. Edges of the plane’s left wingtip and right canard were also damaged. The canopy was missing from the craft, and investigators found no sign of “tearing or shearing” of the bolts; however, the report notes that the bolts were missing from the craft.

NTSB investigator Shawn Etcher said the canopy was found three days after the crash floating about 39 miles northeast near Westerly, R.I.

Mr. Etcher said a mount for a video camera was found on the recovered canopy, but there was no sign of a camera on the recovered hatch.

On Monday, a boater discovered a video camera which may be related to the crash, he said.

“It is currently being prepared to be sent to our laboratory for examination and possible download to determine if it was part of the airplane,” Mr. Etcher said.

The victim’s brother-in-law had said Mr. Khan recorded “every moment of his flying” with a camera installed in the cockpit of his plane. Mr. Khan had posted videos of some of his initial flights on YouTube.

The full investigation into the cause of the accident is expected to take between three and 12 months to complete, Mr. Etcher said.

Story and Photos:  http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com

  Zubair Khan

Photo: LinkedIn 

A Manhattan pilot known for his daredevil loop-de-loops died when his single-engine, self-built aircraft crashed Monday morning in Long Island Sound, authorities said.

 Zubair Khan, 41, of Leroy Street in the West Village was flying the one-passenger Raven about 8:50 a.m. seven miles northwest of the Mattituck Inlet on the North Fork when he went down, the US Coast Guard said.

A vice president of derivatives trading technology for Barclay’s Capital, Khan built airplanes and was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, according to his LinkedIn page.

“Zubair has had his flight license for ages. I’ve flown with him before. I’ve done loop-de-loops with him in stunt planes. He was a pretty experienced pilot. He built that plane himself. It was a crazy, insane, beautiful thing actually,” said Eli Slyder, 38, a business owner and neighbor who came to Khan’s home after hearing the news.

“I can’t believe this. Zubair was one of the most wildly far out, interesting and dynamic people I’ve ever met. This is a horrible thing that’s happened,” said Slyder, adding that Khan had about 40 hours flight time in his homemade craft.

The call came in from another small plane nearby that had spotted a “small, white experimental aircraft,” bobbing on the surface about midway between the New York and Connecticut coasts, the Coast Guard said.

Read more here:  http://nypost.com

Zubair Khan during the first taxiing of his plane at Brookhaven Calabro Airport in February. 

When Zubair Khan first set out in February 2012 to convert a twin-engine CoZy aircraft into one with a larger single engine, he was met with skepticism from like-minded individuals on an online aviation message board.

“Zubair, my friend, there is going to be a lot there that is harder than you think,” one man wrote the day after Mr. Khan purchased his plane from a pilot who had abandoned a similar project in Oregon.

Mr. Khan responded with the same enthusiasm he often displayed on the message board while documenting his 25-month journey from purchasing the plane and converting into an amateur-built fixed-wing Raven powered by a Lycoming engine to taking it on its first test flight in March.

“I am glad you brought this up,” the West Village resident wrote. “I did ask a lot of canard builders and experts before jumping into this, and pretty much everyone told me to stay away from it. But I couldn’t.”

He concluded his response by writing: “I am so new to all of this that I am pretty much depending on these comments to save my life.”

Mr. Khan, 41, was identified Monday afternoon as the pilot killed when he crashed his experimental aircraft into the Long Island Sound off the Mattituck shoreline during a test flight from Brookhaven Calabro Airport in Shirley. His first test flight with the aircraft was on March 15, according to his message board posts.

Mr. Khan was an unmarried native of Afghanistan who came to New York City along with one of his brothers while the rest of his family stayed behind, according to a fellow pilot who had advised him on his project over the past two years. He was the vice president of a financial software company who had worked on projects for several major international banks in recent years, according to his online resumé on LinkedIn. He earned his master’s degree in computer science from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1999.

Several phone calls to Mr. Khan’s home in New York City went unanswered Monday.

U.S. Coast Guard officials said they received an 8:50 a.m. notification from a seaplane pilot in the vicinity of the crash that a “small, white, experimental aircraft with a parachute deployed” had gone down in the Sound. The Coast Guard soon found the aircraft submerged in water north of Mattituck, an FAA spokesman said.

While a parachute was deployed from the plane, Mr. Khan was found inside the aircraft, according to Southold police Detective Sergeant John Sinning. Southold Police and Mattituck Fire Department divers recovered the body, officials said, and Sea Tow brought the downed airplane back to Mattituck Inlet Marina, where it was hoisted from the water about 4 p.m. Monday.

An FAA spokesperson said the next of kin was identified at 12:30 p.m. Monday.

The National Transportation Safety Board is the lead agency in the investigation into the crash.

Mr. Khan began his project at the Sullivan County Airport in Bethel, N.Y. in February 2012, but airport superintendent Mike Mullen said airport records show he moved his plane to Shirley six months later.

Marc Zeitlin of Tehachapi, Calif., an aircraft engineer who had advised Mr. Khan, said he made the transition to Long Island so he could be at an airport with more aviators working on similar projects.

Mr. Zeitlin, an MIT graduate who consults on projects around the globe, estimates there are fewer than 4,000 CoZy planes flying in the United States today. He said there are probably about 300 to 400 of the type of four-seat CoZy plane Mr. Khan was flying.

NTSB records show there have been only seven other fatal CoZy crashes in the U.S. in the past 20 years. The most recent was recorded two years ago this week in Winslow, Ariz.

Mr. Zeitlin admits he was one of the aviators who was initially skeptical of a man with Mr. Khan’s limited experience taking on an aircraft project of this magnitude. But over the past two years he grew to respect Mr. Khan as someone who was “diligent about [working] safely and doing it right.”

“He did a tremendous amount of work over the past two years,” said Mr. Zeitlin, who visits New York on a regular basis and had inspected Mr. Khan’s plane in its hangar in Shirley. “I gave him a lot of credit.”

Mr. Zeitlin said he spoke with Mr. Khan last month and while he reported several hiccups during his test flights over the past four months, their was nothing unusual about the flights.

“He had some minor issues, nothing big,” he said. “That’s always the case.”

Source:  http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com

 

Onlookers watch as Mr. Khan’s plane is towed to shore in Mattituck Inlet.

 (Credit: Paul Squire)

More than a dozen media outlets swarmed the Mattituck shore after the crash.

(Credit: Paul Squire) 

A Mattituck Inlet Marina employee operates the crane to lift Mr. Khan’s plane from the water. 

(Credit: Paul Squire) 

A Mattituck Inlet Marina employee helps guide the crashed experimental plane out of the water Monday afternoon. 
(Credit: Paul Squire)

 A Sea Tow worker helps pull the downed plane from the water at Mattituck Inlet Marina Monday afternoon.
 (Credit: Paul Squire)

 Update (12:15 p.m.): A Southold police marine unit has transported the body of a pilot involved in Monday’s fatal plane crash in the Long Island Sound to the state boat ramp at Mattituck Inlet. 

The body was then transferred to a Suffolk County Medical Examiner van that was waiting on the scene.

Southold police Detective Sergeant John Sinning described the plane as a “single seater,” saying the male pilot was the lone occupant.

He was pronounced dead about noon Monday, U.S. Coast Guard officials said. Mattituck Fire Department divers recovered the body from the aircraft, according to the Coast Guard. The victim’s identity is pending notification of next of kin, Sgt. Sinning said.

The National Transportation Safety Board will be the lead agency investigating the crash, officials said.

Update (11:45 a.m.): The Federal Aviation Administration has identified the plane in Monday morning’s fatal crash in the Long Island Sound as a single-engine, fixed wing Raven — an amateur built aircraft.

 The U.S. Coast Guard found the aircraft submerged in water north of Mattituck, an FAA spokesman said.

The plane is registered to an address in lower Manhattan. Its engine was manufactured by Lycoming and the plane is classified as “experimental,” according to registry information.

Update (11 a.m.): Local authorities are saying an aircraft and at least one body have been recovered from Long Island Sound waters off the coast of Mattituck Inlet Monday morning.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley confirmed at 10:45 a.m. that the pilot had died in the crash.

U.S. Coast Guard officials said they received an 8:50 a.m. notification from another aircraft in the vicinity that a “small, white, experimental aircraft with a parachute deployed” had gone down in the Sound.

The Coast Guard and local police are investigating.

A Southold Police marine unit recovered the aircraft, which was being secured in the water.

Original story: Police, firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating a report that an “experimental” aircraft had gone down in the Long Island Sound about seven miles off Iron Pier Beach in Jamesport Monday morning, officials said.

Riverhead police Lt. David Lessard speculated that the aircraft that crashed might have been a drone.

The report came in from a seaplane pilot about 9:30 a.m., who reportedly saw the aircraft go down off the shore, according to an Riverhead ambulance volunteer at the scene.

Jamesport Fire Department and Riverhead police both responded to the Sound beach and launched boats to search the area.

The Coast Guard is currently investigating the report, though a spokesman declined to comment further.

 Aircraft Found Submerged in Long Island Sound: FAA

Authorities are investigating after a small aircraft was found submerged in the Long Island Sound about four miles off the coast Monday morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Coast Guard said it received a call shortly before 9 a.m. from another aircraft reporting that what appeared to be a small plane went down about eight miles north of Mattituck Inlet.

The FAA says it found the aircraft in the water four miles north of Mattituck. It wasn't clear if anyone was on board; the agency said it also wasn't clear what kind of aircraft it was.

Rescue crews from the Coast Guard's New Haven station are on scene, as are Southold EMTs, the Suffolk County police marine unit and representatives from the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board.

Source Article:  http://www.nbcnewyork.com

 U.S. Coast Guard reports small plane has crashed north of Mattituck Inlet  
 
A small plane crashed into Long Island Sound on Monday morning, about seven nautical miles -- or, about eight miles -- north of Mattituck Inlet, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed.

A Coast Guard spokeswoman said rescue personnel from Coast Guard Station New Haven is on scene, as are a Suffolk County police marine unit and Southold EMTs.

The aircraft crashed at about 8:50 a.m., according.

Story and Comments:  http://www.newsday.com

Small plane crashes into Long Island Sound; rescuers searching for survivors 

The Coast Guard believes the aircraft went down about eight miles north of Mattituck Inlet around 8:50 a.m. Monday.

 A small experimental plane crashed into the Long Island Sound on Monday morning and rescuers were searching for survivors, authorities said.

The plane is believed to have gone down about eight miles north of Mattituck Inlet around 8:50 a.m., according to a statement from the Coast Guard.

Another aircraft in the area alerted the Coast Guard that a "small, white, experimental aircraft with a parachute deployed" had gone down, the statement reads.

A Coast Guard rescue boat crew from New Haven, Conn., was searching along with Suffolk County Marine as well as Riverhead and Southold Emergency Medical Services.

Source Article:   http://www.nydailynews.com

MATTITUCK, N.Y. - (AP) -- The Coast Guard says it is investigating a possible plane crash in Long Island Sound.

Spokeswoman Jetta Disco says the small plane was reported down about 8 miles north of Mattituck Inlet.

A pilot from another plane in the area reported seeing the light aircraft crash into the water.

There was a report that someone had escaped via parachute.

The Coast Guard says it is working with local police agencies to investigate further.

The area is about 85 miles east of Manhattan.

Source Article:   http://www.newsday.com

Southold Town police sergeants confer with marine unit officers after they arrived in Mattituck about noon Monday with the crash victim’s body on board.

Riverhead ambulance volunteers wait as police and firefighters investigate reports that a plane crashed in Long Island Sound Monday morning. 

(Credit: Carrie Miller)

Challenger, N31686: Incident occurred July 10, 2014 near Spadaro Airport (1N2), East Moriches, New York 

  FIERRO FRANK: http://registry.faa.gov/N31686

Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Sunrise Highway Median In East Moriches  

 EAST MORICHES, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) – No one was hurt when a single-engine plane made an emergency landing on the grassy median of a Long Island highway Thursday.

The ultralight Challenger plane experienced engine trouble about a minute after taking off from Lufker/Spadaro Airport in East Moriches around 1:30 p.m., police said.

Pilot Frank Fierro realized the plane wouldn’t make it back to the airport and decided to land it on the median between the eastbound and westbound lanes of Sunrise Highway near exit 61, police said.

The bright yellow plane was not damaged and was towed to nearby Spadaro Airport.

“No time were any motorists in danger,” Suffolk County Police Sgt. George Hodge told reporters, including WCBS 880′s Sophia Hall. “The pilot was never over actually a travel lane of Sunrise Highway.”

Police told Hall the pilot, who is in his mid 70s, has been licensed since 1956 and his wealth of experience likely helped him land safely.

Authorities said that because of a quick response, there were only limited traffic delays on the highway.

Story, video and photo:  http://newyork.cbslocal.com
 
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. (WABC) --   A small plane made an emergency landing on the median of the Sunrise Highway near Exit 61 Thursday afternoon.

The single-engine ultralight Challenger plane took off from Lufker/Spadaro Airport around 1:30 p.m. One minute later, it had engine trouble, according to Suffolk County Police.

Frank Fierro, the pilot, attempted to return to the airport but could not so he landed on the median. No one was injured in the plane and no one was injured on the ground. The plane was not damaged.

It has been removed from the roadway and trucked over to Lufker Airfield in East Moriches. It is unclear where the aircraft originated from and who was on board.

Brian Forsyth, of Merrick, witnessed the landing. He said the plane landed in the grassy median facing east and that the pilot got out of the plane without help. Forsyth said the pilot appeared to be alone in the plane.

Lou Lurker, the owner of Lufker Airfield, said Fierro who he describes as a friend is a seasoned pilot who worked as a flight instructor for 45 years. Lurker said shortly after takeoff, the engine on Fierro's plane failed.

Story and Photo:   http://7online.com

Deja Phew: Challenger, N31686 - East Moriches, New York

http://www.nydailynews.com

For the second time in eight days, New York pilot makes emergency landing on Long Island highway 

Frank Fierro of Suffolk County makes another unexpected touchdown on the Sunrise Highway. In pretty much the same place.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com

Challenger, N31686: Incident occurred July 10, 2014 near Spadaro Airport (1N2), East Moriches, New York 

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A HIGHWAY, NEAR EAST MORICHES, NY 

Flight Standards District Office: FAA Farmingdale FSDO-11

FIERRO FRANK: http://registry.faa.gov/N31686 

 
EAST MORICHES, N.Y. (AP) -- A New York pilot has experienced deja phew.    The same pilot who made an emergency landing last week in the median of a Long Island highway did the exact same thing Friday. In the nearly the exact same place.

Suffolk County police say a single-engine Challenger ultralight plane landed on the eastbound lanes of Sunrise Highway because of engine trouble just before 1 p.m. Pilot Frank Fierro landed the same plane in almost the same place on July 10.

Police say Fierro had taken the plane for the first time since last week's incident. It was taken back to nearby Spadaro Airport in East Moriches.