Franklin-Sullivan Technologies FS 1 accident near Littletown, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1992
On October 7, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Franklin-Sullivan Technologies FS 1, registered N4246R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Littletown, Pennsylvania (Prokopovitsh Farm airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
INADEQUATE ALTITUDE DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN A TREE STRIKE ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Littletown, Pennsylvania · Prokopovitsh Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Franklin-Sullivan Technologies FS 1
- Registration
- N4246R · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT TEST WHICH CALLED FOR AN UNPOWERED DESCENT. THE APPROACH WAS INITIATED WITH BOTH ENGINES SHUT OFF. INITIALLY THE PILOT WAS HIGH ON FINAL AND 'S' TURNED TO LOOSE ALTITUDE. DURING THE LAST 'S' TURN HE NOTICED HE WAS TOO LOW AND STRUCK A TREE JUST SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST BEYOND THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 2,950 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 2,850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1991; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Franklin Sullivan Technologies
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°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.