Wyoming Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18702
Monday, October 16, 1995 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor and student pilot had made two takeoffs and landings without incident. During the third takeoff, the airplane started to drift to the left and the student pilot stated that there was a problem with the controls. The flight instructor stated that the controls were alright, and that there was a crosswind. When the airplane began to roll to the left, the flight instructor took over the controls. The airplane's left wing tip struck the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled. Examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical problem with the airplane. The student pilot had a total of 27 hours of flight experience. This was his first flight in this make and model. The flight instructor was initially certificated as an instructor 4 days prior to the accident, and this was his first flight as an instructor. Winds at a nearby airport were reported to be from 250 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 24.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. Contributing factors were the instructor's inexperience and the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WILKES-BARRE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18702
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WYOMING VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WBW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 545
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID AVP
Elevation of weather observation facility 963
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1852
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3773L
NTSB Number NYC96LA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 17253942
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Aug 24 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 94
Airframe Hours 3853
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C.C. AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1399 WYOMING AVE
Aircraft Owner City FORTY FORT
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code WBW
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 3376
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --