Cessna Aircraft CO 162 accident near Shelter Island, New York, April 13, 2015
On April 13, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2011 Cessna Aircraft CO 162, registered N30283, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Shelter Island, New York (Klenawicus Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed after takeoff and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low an altitude to recover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shelter Island, New York · Klenawicus Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft CO 162, built 2011
- Registration
- N30283 · no longer on the register · serial 16200094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he conducted a preflight inspection, including a flight control check, and taxied the airplane to the runway for takeoff. After he took off from the turf runway, the light-sport airplane immediately began banking right, and the right aileron did not respond to control inputs. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain before coming to rest near the runway. Witness reports and photographs indicated that the airplane became airborne about midfield of the 1,400-ft-long runway and corroborated that the airplane then banked right before impacting terrain. Examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of preaccident malfunction or failure, and flight control continuity was confirmed. During an engine test run, the engine started and operated normally. Although the right aileron control cable located behind the cockpit instrument panel was found separated, the cable exhibited tensile overload signatures consistent with impact damage. Further, given that the pilot reported that he checked the flight controls before departure, the flight control cable likely fractured due to tensile overload during impact. Based on the evidence indicating that the airplane immediately banked right after takeoff and then descended to impact, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in in an aerodynamic stall.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,997 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 13,956 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 21, 2014
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 119.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2014; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200D (piston); 140 hours total
- Operator: Smc Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Shelter Island NY at 10:00 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway S, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KHTO, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on November 27, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record - Airframe Examination | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Records (Excerpts) | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Cessna 162 - Before Takeoff Checklist [excerpts] | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Mermorandum for Record - 2 Weather Reports | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.