Accident Overview
On February 26, 2017, about 1140 eastern standard time, a Ryan Navion F airplane, registration N4529K, impacted trees and terrain during takeoff from Francis S. Gabreski Airport (FOK) in Westhampton Beach, New York. The flight instructor and passenger were fatally injured. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was consumed by fire and destroyed. The airplane was owned and operated by the commercial pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which originated from Republic Airport (FRG) in Farmingdale, New York.
Sequence of Events
According to the commercial pilot, he contacted his usual flight instructor to schedule a flight review. That instructor was unavailable and arranged for another instructor to conduct the review. The pilot stated that the substitute instructor asked if he wanted to use a Cessna 172 for the flight review, and that the instructor had no experience in Navion airplanes. The pilot declined, as he felt more comfortable flying his own airplane. They did not discuss differences between the airplanes before the flight review. The pilot informed the instructor that he was not current and that the instructor would be pilot-in-command for the flight.
The flight departed FRG for FOK to perform touch-and-go landings. During the flight, positive exchanges of flight controls using the phrases "my aircraft" and "your aircraft" occurred. The pilot was flying the airplane during the approach for landing to runway 33 at FOK. He described the wind as "gusty" so he carried extra power and performed a slip maneuver during the approach. About 100 feet above the runway, the instructor stated "my airplane," grabbed the control yoke, and abruptly pulled back. The pilot relinquished control. The airplane landed hard on the runway and bounced back into the air. The pilot applied full engine power to avoid a stall, and the instructor yelled "hands off the yoke." The pilot could not recall whether his hands were on the yoke at that moment but did relinquish controls. The airplane then entered a spin and collided with trees and terrain.
Control tower personnel stated that during the airplane's initial climb after the landing, they observed it bank to the right so steeply that they could see the bottom of the airplane. One controller said the airplane seemed to "correct itself" briefly, then banked hard to the right again, colliding with treetops about 700 feet right of the runway. The controller estimated the airplane was between 100 and 200 feet above ground level before descending into trees.
In a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that the design of the accident airplane provided a "sight picture" during approach that typically appeared "very steep," and that this sight picture was "totally different" from the Piper Dakota (a PA-28 variant) he also flew. He noted that while many airplanes prohibit slips with flaps fully extended, such a maneuver is not prohibited in the accident airplane. The pilot opined that the sight picture during the landing approach and his slipping with flaps extended may have caused the instructor to feel the need to take control.
Personnel Information
According to FAA records, the commercial pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating and an FAA second-class medical certificate issued October 27, 2015. At that medical examination, he reported 857 total flight hours. At the time of the accident, he reported 962 total hours and 500 hours in the accident make and model.
The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate, and an FAA third-class medical certificate issued March 29, 2016. At that examination, he reported 1,000 total hours. His logbook showed 1,061.5 total hours and 159.1 hours as a flight instructor at the time of the accident. Most of his instruction was given in Piper PA-28 and Cessna 172 airplanes.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane was manufactured in 1951. It was powered by a Continental TSIO-520, 285-horsepower engine with a three-blade McCauley propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on August 18, 2016, at which time the airframe had about 4,550 total hours and the engine had 1,257 hours since major overhaul.
Meteorological Information
The 1153 recorded weather at FOK included wind from 310° at 21 knots gusting to 27 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 5,000 feet, temperature 5°C, dew point -9°C, and altimeter setting 29.97 inches of mercury. Remarks included peak wind from 290° at 28 knots at 1109.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest on a heading of 157° magnetic at 66 feet mean sea level with a debris path extending about 75 feet from initial tree impact to the wreckage on a heading of about 030° magnetic. The outboard 6 feet of the right wing was fractured and located 75 feet from the main wreckage toward the initial impact point, with a 2-foot deep concave impression consistent with tree contact. Wing flaps were retracted; landing gear was extended. The left main gear was folded under the left wing, the right main down and locked, and the nose gear folded. The fuel selector was in the main tank position. The instrument panel and cabin area were destroyed by fire.
The propeller separated from the engine and was about 30 feet from the main wreckage, with blades exhibiting rotational scoring, leading edge gouges, and "S" bending. Valve train continuity was observed through the engine. Thumb compression was attained on cylinders 2, 4, and 6; limited compression on cylinder 5, whose head was impact-fractured. Intake valve springs were separated and the valve was inside the cylinder. Piston movement was confirmed on all six cylinders. Spark plugs were light gray with intact electrodes. Magnetos were intact and produced sparks. Fuel lines were connected except the vapor return line fractured at the pump. The throttle valve was full open; the throttle lever was fractured. The mixture lever was full rich. Cables were intact. The manifold valve was clean. The fuel metering unit had some small debris. The oil pan had a small puncture and no oil in the engine, but oil was on the ground.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Medical Examiner, Suffolk County, New York, performed an autopsy on the flight instructor. The cause of death was listed as unspecified blunt force trauma. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology tests on the flight instructor; results were negative for drugs and alcohol.