Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bethel, Pennsylvania 19507
Tuesady, January 25, 1994 16:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A VFR FLIGHT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN TOP AT 1,630 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. ACCORDING TO A CO-WORKER WHO WAS FLYING ANOTHER AIRPLANE ON THE SAME ROUTE AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE STATED OVER THE RADIO THAT HE WAS GOING TO DESCEND TO 1,700 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. THAT WAS THE LAST TRANSMISSION THE CO-WORKER RECEIVED FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE PILOT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot attempting visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions and the pilot not maintaining clearance from objects/terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BETHEL
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19507
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID IPT
Elevation of weather observation facility 529
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 889
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28767
NTSB Number BFO94FA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7916416
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 11 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 3518
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL KUHN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7 AIRPORT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SMOKETOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17576
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO-TECH SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 311 AIRPORT DRIVE
Operator City SMOKETOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17576
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 37PA
Departure City SMOKETOWN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N13
Destination City BLOOMSBURG
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --