Amateur-built Starduster Too accident near Watertown, Connecticut, September 23, 2001
On September 23, 2001 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Starduster Too, registered N49894, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watertown, Connecticut (Waterbury-Oxford airport). 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 student pilot's inattention while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in collision with trees. A factor in the accident was the student pilot's intentional low-altitude maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2001 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, Connecticut · Waterbury-Oxford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Starduster Too
- Registration
- N49894 · no longer on the register · serial 552-368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot departed solo on a local, personal flight and was maneuvering the home-built airplane at low altitude. A police officer reported that he had seen the airplane perform loops and barrel rolls. The student pilot said that he was in level flight at low altitude as he approached rising terrain. He said that as he struggled to tune a radio, he flew the airplane into trees and terrain. The pilot said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. According to the pilot, "I screwed up, there was nothing wrong 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 145 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2001; 14.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OXC Waterbury CT at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from OXC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.