SKANEATELES, NY, USA
N61563
NORTH AMERICAN SNJ-2
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN HIS WORLD WAR II VINTAGE AIRPLANE, ABOUT 360 POUNDS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS TAKE-OFF WEIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED, BY WITNESSES, FLYING IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION TOWARD THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN DESCENDING RIGHT TURNS, AND ESTABLISHED A FINAL APPROACH TO A HAY FIELD. DURING THE DESCENT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. THE AIRPLANE WAS ON SHORT FINAL WHEN IT MADE A RIGHT TURN, NOSED OVER, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. FIVE TRACTOR BATTERIES AND TWO BRIEF CASES WERE FOUND UNSECURED IN THE AIRPLANE. ONE BRIEF CASE TOP WAS CRUSHED NEAR THE CASE HANDLE, AND WAS FOUND ON THE REAR FLOOR, BETWEEN THE REAR FLIGHT CONTROL AND THE LEFT REAR RUDDER PEDAL.
On Friday, October 15, 1993, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a North American SNJ-2, N61563, piloted by Donald J. Anklin, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, 7 miles southwest of the Skaneateles Airport, Skaneateles, New York. The pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91. The pilot departed the Skaneateles Airport, about 1000, on a ferry flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. The airplane was topped off with fuel prior to take off. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector stated in a telephone interview, a witness stated to him, "...the airplane was on final to the corn field, the pilot tried a hard turn to make a grass field. The airplane nosed over and impacted in the corn field. A witness, Mr. Craig Gilmore, stated: "...At...1025...I saw the plane coming from the southwest...As the plane flew over...[it] was approximately 200 ft [feet]...The plane continued northeast...then turned...The plane flew east for a short time and then began to bank toward the south. While he was in this turn I saw the plane's wheels come down...he began to drop lower and I could tell he was setting himself up to land in Young's hay field. The plane continued south west for a short time, and then just nosed over and hit the ground...I would like to state that I did not see or hear any problems with the plane prior to the crash." Examination of the wreckage by Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors revealed fuel in the carburetor, and one propeller blade was bent toward the fuselage while the other blade was undamaged. Five tractor batteries, weighing about 50 pounds each, and two brief cases were found unsecured in the airplane. One of the FAA Inspectors stated, "...One brief case top [was] crushed near the brief case handle and laid on the rear floor between the rear flight control and left rudder pedal." The main gear was extended at the time of impact and the flaps were down. A post accident examination of the engine was conducted by the FAA Inspector. In his report he stated that, "The components inspected did not show probable cause for engine failure." According to the Aviation Consumer, Used Aircraft Guide, a typical empty weight for the SNJ is 4800 pounds, with a maximum gross weight of 6000 pounds. The fuel consumption is listed at 28 to 30 gallons per hour (GPH). The Guide also reports, "Stall characteristics will shock the average lightplane pilot accustomed to plenty of pre-stall buffet...The T-6 stall, which occurs at around 70 mph at gross weight, comes with virtually no warning buffer. (There's no stall horn or light, of course.) "It just happens, reports one veteran T-6 pilot"." The estimated take off weight of N61563, using the typical empty weight of 4800 pounds, 190 gallons of fuel, the 170 pound pilot, and the tractor batteries, was 6360 pounds. After 30 minutes of flying at 30 GPH, the estimated weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was 6270 pounds.
The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation which failed to adequately secure cargo, resulting control interference. A factor was the overgross weight condition of the airplane.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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