DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
BUREAU OF AIR COMMERCE
Washington
REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT BOARD
BUREAU OF AIR COMMERCE
Statement of probable cause concerning an accident which occurred to a privately owned airplane at Hartfield, New York, on June 29, 1935
To the Director of Air Commerce
On June 29, 1935 at approximately 4.30 p.m. at Hartfield, New York, a privately owned airplane crashed with resultant fatal injury to the passenger, serious injury to the pilot and the complete destruction of the aircraft.
The airplane, owned by the pilot, was an Eaglerock, model A-1, and bore Department of Commerce license number NC-8238. The pilot, Ivan M. Goran, held a Department of Commerce private pilot's license. The passenger was Henry P. Becker of Buffalo, New York.
The take-off was accomplished from a privately owned hay field which was being used as a flying field. While in a fairly steep climb and at an altitude of 200 to 300 feet, the engine first missed, then stopped. In making a turn to effect a forced landing, the pilot allowed the airplane to stall, which resulted in a half turn of a spin so close to the ground that control of the aircraft could not be regained.
Nothing was found to indicate failure of any of the controls and there were fields ahead, in the direction of take-off, in which a successful forced landing might have been accomplished.
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was poor judgment on the part of the pilot for attempting a sharp turn after engine failure when there were good fields ahead.
Respectfully submitted,
ACCIDENT BOARD
(Signed) Jesse W. Lankford, Secretary.
Richard C. Gazley, Chief Engineer,
Manufacturing Inspection Service.
Chief, General Inspection Service.