Flight Design Gmbh CTLS accident near Queens, NY
On November 5, 2015, a Flight Design Gmbh CTLS (airplane) was involved in an accident near Queens, NY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 5, 2015
- Place
- Queens, NY
- Aircraft
- Flight Design Gmbh CTLS · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 40.547°N, 73.921°W
- NTSB ID
- 20151104X30605
Official records · ERA16FA031
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 4, 2015, at 1933 eastern standard time, a Flight Design GMBH CTLS light sport airplane, N622BT, was substantially damaged after it impacted the Atlantic Ocean near Queens, New York. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about 1900, with an intended destination of Portsmouth International Airport, Pease (PSM), Portsmouth, New Hampshire. According to personnel at the departure airport, the airplane was "topped off" with fuel before departure. A fuel receipt indicated 17 gallons of 100 low-lead (LL) aviation fuel was added to the airplane about 1840 on the evening of the accident. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control radar and voice communication information revealed that the airplane departed PNE and leveled off at 1,400 ft mean sea level (msl). At 1916, the pilot requested to remain at 1,500 ft then descend to 400 ft under the John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) Class Bravo airspace along the south shore of Long Island. The controller acknowledged the request, and the pilot continued toward his destination. At 1931, the pilot contacted JFK tower, and the tower controller cleared the pilot to fly along the shoreline at or below 500 ft. The pilot acknowledged the clearance at 1932:30. About 1 minute later, while at
Probable cause
The noninstrument-rated pilot's spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude, over water with no visible horizon, in dark night conditions, which resulted in a collision with the water.
More accidents in NY
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- Piper PA-31-350, Dec 15, 1989
Browse: New York · Flight Design Gmbh aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
