The NTSB has filed a
preliminary report on
the tragic accident that claimed the life of an airshow
pilot at the Rhinebeck AeroDrome.
NTSB Identification: NYC08LA281
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, August 17, 2008 in Rhinebeck, NY
Aircraft: Roberto P. Garcia Nieuport 24bis, registration:
N5246
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.
On August 17, 2008, at 1550 eastern daylight time, an
amateur-built Nieuport 24bis, N5246, was destroyed when it impacted
trees and terrain while maneuvering near Old Rhinebeck Airport
(NY94), Rhinebeck, New York. The certificated airline transport
pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions
prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local air show
flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of
Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to preliminary information provided by a Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the accident flight was a
two airplane aerial demonstration of World War I vintage aircraft
simulating a "dogfight." The other airplane participating in the
demonstration was a Fokker DR-1. The entire flight was conducted
about 300 feet above ground level.
According to the pilot of the Fokker, he and the accident pilot
briefed prior the flight, and the accident pilot departed first in
the Nieuport. The Fokker pilot then followed behind the Nieuport
while they performed a 360-degree turn, followed by a "lead
change," where the trailing airplane would turn first, and the
previous lead airplane would follow. The Nieuport then followed the
Fokker for another 360-degree turn, before performing another lead
change at the air show center point. After a third 360-degree turn,
both airplanes proceeded east before turning away from each other,
the Nieuport going south and the Fokker north.
As the Fokker turned back around toward the show line, he
noticed the Nieuport beginning a left turn. The Fokker pilot looked
away for a moment, and he next saw the Nieuport in "what looked to
be a 3 turn spin to the left," before it disappeared into the trees
below. The Fokker pilot subsequently circled the accident site in
order to help first responders on the ground locate it.
An FAA inspector examined and photographed the wreckage at the
scene. According to the inspector, the accident site was located in
a densely wooded area, with trees greater than 100 feet tall. The
trees around the accident site remained largely undisturbed, with
the exception of the trees immediately above where the wreckage
came to rest. Several large tree branches were lying on the ground,
which exhibited cuts consistent with propeller contact. The
wreckage was consumed by a postimpact fire.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a
rating for airplane multiengine land, and a commercial pilot
certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea.
He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for
airplane single and multiengine, and instrument airplane. The
pilot's most recent FAA second class medical certificate was issued
on May 20, 2008, with the limitation, "holder shall possess glasses
for near vision."
According to training
documents maintained by the operator, as of August 8, 2008, the
pilot had accumulated 3,881 total hours of flight experience, 2,372
hours of which were in tail wheel equipped airplanes. Additionally,
the pilot completed the operator's initial qualification training
in the Nieuport 24 on July 10, 2008. According to the qualification
record, the pilot had completed 5 flights, for a total of 1.0 hours
of training. According to the FAA inspector, the pilot had flown
about 3 additional hours in the accident airplane since that
time.
According to FAA airworthiness and registration records, the
accident airplane was built in Florida, in 1997. It was then
registered in New Zealand, before the operator took ownership of
and re-registered the airplane in the United States on August 29,
2007. The airplane was subsequently inspected by a designated
airworthiness representative, and issued a special airworthiness
certificate on May 29, 2008.
The weather conditions reported at Dutchess County Airport
(POU), Poughkeepsie, New York, located about 20 nautical miles
south of the accident site, at 1553, included winds from 230
degrees at 7 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds
at 6,000 feet, temperature 28 degrees Celsius (C), dewpoint 15
degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.89 inches of mercury.