N5541C

On November 4, 1996, about 1430 eastern standard time, a Socata, TB 9 Tampico, N5541C, operated by Westchester Aeronautical Corp, was substantially damaged when the right wing was sheared off during a precautionary landing to a road near Laurens, New York. The student pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Spring Hill Airpark, Sterling, Pennsylvania, destined for Sullivan County International (MSV), Monticello, New York. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

During a telephone interview with the student pilot, he stated that he planned a flight from Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York, to Monticello, to Dutchess County Airport, Poughkeepsie, New York, and a return to White Plains. While en route to Monticello, he realized he was over unfamiliar territory, and landed at an airport. After landing, he learned he was at Sterling and planned a flight to Monticello. No attempts were made to obtain fuel services or contact his home base prior to departing Sterling. The pilot again became disoriented while en route to Monticello. The flight was airborne for a few hours when the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing to a road, due to low fuel. During the landing, the airplane's right wing struck an embankment and sheared off.

The student pilot also stated that his attempts to determine his position prior to landing at Sterling, was through use of the Kingston, New York, VOR navigational facility, located about 75 miles east of Sterling, were unsuccessful. No further attempts were made to use any VOR's.

The pilot had an approximate total flight experience of 60 hours, of which, 30 were solo. This was the pilot's fourth solo cross country flight, and his third flight to MSV.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed no fuel in the right fuel tank and 4 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank. The fuel selector valve was found selected to the left tank. Also, the examination did not disclose evidence of malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.