Palen Sopwith Camel accident near Rhinebeck, New York, May 9, 2005
On May 9, 2005 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Palen Sopwith Camel, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N7157Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rhinebeck, New York (Old Rhinebeck airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll. A factor in the accident was the uneven runway, and the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2005 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rhinebeck, New York · Old Rhinebeck · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Palen Sopwith Camel, amateur-built
- Registration
- N7157Q · registry record · serial 1990
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot went to the airport for the purpose of conducting an initial checkout in the single-seat replica of a Sopwith Camel. Assisted by a flight instructor who was "highly experienced" in the same make and model, the pilot completed the preflight, rehearsed various cockpit operations, and then boarded to practice taxiing. Afterwards, the pilot conducted a debriefing with the instructor, and then executed his first flight, which lasted approximately 25 minutes. After completing the flight, the pilot conducted another debriefing, and then attempted a second flight. During the takeoff roll, the airplane accelerated "normally" down the turf runway with the tailwheel in the up position for 4 to 6 seconds, and then nosed over, causing substantial damage to the top wing, and vertical stabilizer. Examination of the runway revealed the initial propeller ground scars were collocated with a set of ruts running perpendicular to the takeoff roll. At the time of the accident the pilot had approximately 1 hour in make and model.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,450 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2004; 1.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,458 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Gnome Gnome 160 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NY94 Rhinebeck NY at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from POU
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.