Amateur-built Vans accident near Bayport, New York, December 29, 2008
On December 29, 2008 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Vans, registered N307MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Bayport, New York (Bayport Aerodrome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to stop the airplane within the available runway after touchdown. Contributing to the accident were the failure of the flap system as reported by the pilot and the damp grass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 2008 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bayport, New York · Bayport Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Vans RV-7
- Registration
- N307MM · registry record · serial 71530
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on an unimproved-turf airstrip, the pilot of the amateur-built airplane attempted to lower the flaps using the electric flap switch. He noted no extension of the flaps and re-cycled the switch. The flaps did not extend and the pilot decided to conduct a no-flap landing. The pilot stated that he made a "low approach to limit glide slope and maintained about 90 kias [knots indicated airspeed]." The airplane touched down in the first 1/3 of the runway, with the main landing gear contacting the ground first. The pilot pulled the control stick aft, allowing the tailwheel to contact the ground, and applied full brakes to slow the airplane. The airplane began sliding on the damp grass and impacted trees at the end of the runway, substantially damaging the left wing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › TE flap control system › Failure
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 15, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 29, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Mattituck TMX IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 23N Bayport NY at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 23N Bayport NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,740 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from ISP, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.