Amateur-built WICHAWK accident near Pine Island, New York, November 14, 1998
On November 14, 1998 at about 2:10 pm local time, a amateur-built WICHAWK, registered N30HR, was destroyed in an accident near Pine Island, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain control while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1998 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Island, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WICHAWK
- Registration
- N30HR · no longer on the register · serial 41
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The two place, experimental, homebuilt airplane departed on a local flight to familiarize the new owner with the airplane. Both pilots held private pilot certificates. The pilot-in-command (PIC) occupied the left seat and was the former owner. The second pilot (new owner) occupied the right seat. Witnesses heard the engine stop momentarily, and resume running. The airplane was observed to impact in a nose down attitude in an open field. No evidence of a pre-existing failure or malfunction was found with the airplane or engine. Toxicological examinations revealed no drugs in the PIC.
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: 430 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWN Sussex NJ at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from SWF, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.