Amateur-built S-17 accident near Woodstock, Connecticut, December 28, 2003
On December 28, 2003 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built S-17, registered NONE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woodstock, Connecticut. 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 uncertificated pilot's decision to perform a low altitude maneuver at an inadequate altitude, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2003 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Woodstock, Connecticut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-17
- Registration
- NONE · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering in a circle 400 feet above the ground, "suddenly and without warning," and without input from the uncertificated pilot, the airplane rolled to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the attitude of the airplane, but it continued to roll right and impacted evergreen trees before coming to rest on the ground. The pilot reported he had accumulated 519 hours of total flight experience in 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
Pilot
- Flight time: 519 hours in all; 519 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 527 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Woodstock CT at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from ORH
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 NONE 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.