Rostraver Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monogahela, Pennsylvania 15338
Sunday, July 9, 1995 12:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE MOONEY M20C, N2763W, ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WAS INBOUND TO THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT FOLLOWING THE VOR FINAL APPROACH COURSE OF 119 DEGREES AT 2,000 FT. THE PIPER PA-28, N7416R, HAD DEPARTED THE AIRPORT, TURNED NORTHWEST, AND CLIMBED TO 2,000 FT. THE AIRPLANES COLLIDED 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. ONE OF THE MOONEY PILOTS DESCRIBED THE COLLISION AS 'A SHADOW APPEARED ON THE RIGHT AND CRASHING NOISE AS THE CABIN RIPPED OPEN.' THE PIPER PILOT DESCRIBED THE COLLISION AS A 'LOUD BANG ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND I SAW COWL BADLY MANGLED.' THE MOONEY WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PIPER PILOT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE FLIGHT AND RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE MOONEY REVEALED SEPARATION OF THE UPPER FUSELAGE, TOP VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER. EXAMINATION OF THE PIPER FIREWALL REVEALED THE MOONEY'S RUDDER BALANCE WEIGHT WAS IMBEDDED. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE PILOTS PRIOR TO THE COLLISION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF THE MONNEY M20C, N2763W, AND THE PIPER PA-28, N7416R, TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MONOGAHELA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15338
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROSTRAVER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P53
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 1230
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID AGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1252
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2049
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N2763W N7416R
NTSB Number NYC95LA145A NYC95LA145B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney Piper
Aircraft Model M-20C PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier M-20C PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 3353 2821940
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 19 1995 12:00AM Sep 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1 29
Airframe Hours 2184 4383
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name BRITTON WATTS BERLYN E. LEWIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 890 WHITEHEAD LANE 516 1ST STREET
Aircraft Owner City NO. HUNTINGDON ELIZABETH
Aircraft Owner State PA PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15642 15037
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name RAYMOND F. SCHULER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Street Address 115 DUTCH GLORY ROAD
Operator City AMITY
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15311
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Instructional Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code P53 P53
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --