Amateur-built BARRACUDA accident near Hermon, New York, July 17, 1999
On July 17, 1999 at about 6:10 pm local time, a amateur-built BARRACUDA, registered N849JA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hermon, New York. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in a precautionary landing. A factor in this accident was the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1999 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hermon, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BARRACUDA
- Registration
- N849JA · no longer on the register · serial 101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross country flight in a homebuilt airplane, when the airplane was about 60 to 90 nautical miles from it's destination, the pilot noticed the airplane's left and right fuel gages were both indicating 1/8 full. The pilot decided to land early at another airport. However, due to haze and the anxiety of the situation, the pilot was unable to find a suitable airport so he elected to make a precautionary landing on a grass field. During the landing, the airplane's landing gear separated and the airplane incurred spar damage. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-landing malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The left fuel gage needle indicated 'E,' and the right fuel gage needle indicated about 1/8 full. When the airplane was placed on level ground, visual examination of the fuel tanks revealed that about 1/4 inch of fuel remained in the left fuel tank, and approximately 4 inches of fuel remained in the right fuel tank. The pilot reported 321.8 hours of total flight experience, of which, 18.3 hours were in the make and model of the accident 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
- Flight time: 322 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 245 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1G5 Medina OH at 3:55 pm
- Destination: MSS Massena NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from MSS, 40 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.