Amateur-built ACROSPORT II accident near Penn Yan, New York, January 3, 1990
On January 3, 1990 at about 5:15 pm local time, a amateur-built ACROSPORT II, registered N896JC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Penn Yan, New York (Penn Yan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE & THE SNOWBANK WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 1990 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Penn Yan, New York · Penn Yan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ACROSPORT II ACROSPORT
- Registration
- N896JC · no longer on the register · serial 689
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT DRIFTED CLOSE TO THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, SO HE CORRECTED WITH LEFT RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK A SNOWBANK, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, AND HE 'PAID TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO (THE) INSTRUMENTS WITH HEAD IN COCKPIT.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 194 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 118 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N-22 at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,206 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N896JC 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.