Amateur-built Europa Monowheel accident near Oxford, Connecticut, August 1, 2001
On August 1, 2001 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Europa Monowheel, registered N44EU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxford, Connecticut (Waterbury-Oxford 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 maintain directional control during an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2001 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Connecticut · Waterbury-Oxford Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Europa Monowheel
- Registration
- N44EU · no longer on the register · serial A044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane touched down about 6 feet left of centerline, then bounced. The pilot added power to abort the landing. The airplane veered to the left, then touched down in the grass. The airplane continued to the left, the monowheel collapsed, the airframe buckled, and the airplane came to rest 200 feet left of the runway. Winds, 25 minutes after the accident, were 40 degrees from the right, at 6 knots. There was no evidence of flight control malfunction. The pilot subsequently stated that he did not get full engine power when he aborted the landing, and felt the problem resulted from throttle cable kinking due to rapid movement of the throttle.
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: 190 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 11, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 2, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OXC Oxford CT at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from OXC
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.