Niedzielski COOT-A N247D

Summary

On 28 September 1989 at about 20:10 local time, a Niedzielski COOT-A registered N247D was involved in an accident near Marcy, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 September 1989 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Marcy, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Riverside (4B2)

Coordinates

43.1699, -75.2907

Aircraft

Niedzielski COOT-A

Registration

N247D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marcy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC89DFA02

1 person died.

FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING HIS AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR BEFORE HE RETURNED TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AREA. THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE ENTERED A MIDFIELD CROSSWIND LEG AT AN ESTIMATED 800 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE RPM INCREASE AND DECREASE AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE AIRPORT, AND THEY DESCRIBED THE WINGS 'WOBBLING' OR 'TIPPING' BACK AND FORTH. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE NOISE DECREASED, THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED A SERIES OF SHALLOW BANK TURNS BEFORE THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE BANKED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A TWO TO THREE TURN SPIN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND THE CARBURETOR FUEL SCREEN WERE CONTAMINATED WITH THE REMAINS OF SEVERAL LARGE INSECTS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OTHER PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION/DIFFICULTY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.