Phillipsburg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phillipsburg, Ohio 45354
Sunday, November 5, 1995 14:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHTCREW REPORTED THAT THE COMMERCIAL PILOT/PROSPECTIVE AIRPLANE BUYER, WHO OCCUPIED THE LEFT SEAT, WAS HANDLING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT WAS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI). WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH FOR THE RUNWAY, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ANNOUNCED THAT HE INTENDED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE COMMERCIAL PILOT INITIATED THE GO-AROUND, HE INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CFI STATED THAT HE REACHED FOR THE FLIGHT CONTROL YOKE, AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE NOSE UP, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE PILOTS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT ABOUT A 30 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONFIGURED WITH A SINGLE, THROW OVER YOKE, WHICH WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS AN EX-MILITARY PILOT WITH VERY LITTLE TIME IN LIGHT PISTON ENGINE AIRPLANES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's (CFI's) inadequate supervision of the flying pilot, and the flying pilot's abrupt handling of the airplane during an attempted go-around. Factors relating to the accident were: the flying pilot's lack of familiarity with light piston engine airplanes (kind of aircraft), and the CFI's decision to allow an unfamiliar pilot to attempt the landing, when he (the CFI) did not have access to a full set of flight controls.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/5/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PHILLIPSBURG
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45354
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PHILLIPSBURG
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3I7
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 1031
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID DAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 825
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 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) 1365
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 5 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5376E
NTSB Number BFO96LA018
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model 35
Aircraft Series Identifier 35
Aircraft Serial Number D5904
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 3573
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MILLER AIRCRAFT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 514
Aircraft Owner City PHILLIPSBURG
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45354
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3I7
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1340
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 Approach
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 21
Runway Length 2746
Runway Width 34
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --