Amateur-built WATCHA-MCCALL-IT accident near Steamburg, New York, May 18, 1996
On May 18, 1996 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built WATCHA-MCCALL-IT, registered N111MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Steamburg, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot/owner's failure to ensure adequate maintenance/inspection of the airplane; and a loose fuel line fitting, which resulted in a subsequent fuel leak, fuel starvation, and loss of engine power. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude, which resulted in a landing on unsuitable terrain; his lack of experience in this make and model of aircraft; and his lack of recent experience in powered airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1996 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Steamburg, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WATCHA-MCCALL-IT WATCHA-MCC
- Registration
- N111MC · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot purchased the homebuilt airplane on the day of the accident. He examined the airplane, changed the oil, replaced the old gas with autofuel, and performed some ground taxing. About ten minutes after takeoff, at about 3,000 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot turned toward a large field; however, the glide ratio was lower than he expected, and he changed his forced landing area to a smaller field. After clearing trees, the airplane landed hard on soft plowed terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed two loose spark plugs, and no fuel in the lines, pump, or filter. An aluminum fuel line fitting at the fuel filter was found 'very loose.' The airplane had been flown about 6 hours since the airplane's previous annual inspection, which was performed about 3 years before the accident. A ferry permit had not been issued for the flight, and the pilot was not a certificated airframe and power plant mechanic. He had accumulated about 110 hours of flight time in single engine airplanes. His total flight experience, during the previous 90 days, was 2 hours flown in gliders and less than 30 minutes in the make and model of 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
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 336 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,180 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D79 Mayville NY at 8:05 pm
- Destination: DSV Dansville NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BFD, 24 miles away
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.