Amateur-built TEAM HI-MAX-1700R accident near Jamestown, New York, July 20, 1998
On July 20, 1998 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built TEAM HI-MAX-1700R, registered N3546V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jamestown, New York (Chataqua County/Jamestown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to obtain proper airspeed and his subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1998 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Jamestown, New York · Chataqua County/Jamestown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TEAM HI-MAX-1700R TEAM HI-MA
- Registration
- N3546V · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/builder began the takeoff roll on runway 25 in his experimental home-built airplane with a right crosswind that gusted to 18 knots. The pilot reported that after rotation the airplane began an uncommanded left turn that he could not control with the aileron. The airplane continued left and the airspeed fluctuated between 20 and 40 knots throughout the descending turn. The airplane impacted the ground in a left skidding turn on the south side of runway 25. After the accident, the pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and that the accident could have been avoided by lifting off at a higher airspeed.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1997; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 560 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447ULSCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JHW at 9:40 pm
- Destination: PVT Springboro PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,299 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:59 pm from JHW
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.
Other NTSB records under N3546V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.