Palen SOPWITH DOLPHIN accident near Reinbeck, New York, September 30, 1990
On September 30, 1990 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Palen SOPWITH DOLPHIN, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N47166, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reinbeck, New York (Reinbekc Aerodrome 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 conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNDETERMINED ENGINE FAILURE DURING LOW ALTITUDE OPERATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1990 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Reinbeck, New York · Reinbekc Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Palen SOPWITH DOLPHIN SOPWITH DO, amateur-built
- Registration
- N47166 · registry record · serial 1533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS MAKING A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY DURING AN ANTIQUE AIRCRAFT EXHIBITION WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. HE STARTED TO TURN AROUND TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY. THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS OVER A WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY, ABOUT FIFTEEN FEET ABOVE THE TREETOPS, WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO THE TREES.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hispano Suiza (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Reinbeck NY
- Destination: Reinbeck NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.