Kutztown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kutztown, Pennsylvania 19530
Friday, December 29, 1995 12:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CARRYING A PASSENGER. HE OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT TO CHECK RUNWAY CONDITIONS AND WIND. TWO RUNWAYS WERE AVAILABLE. ONE WAS HARD SURFACED, AND HAD BEEN PLOWED, BUT HAD A CROSSWIND. THE OTHER RUNWAY WAS A SNOW COVERED TURF RUNWAY THAT WAS INTO THE WIND. HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTIONS ON UNICOM TO LAND ON THE TURF RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE ADVISED AGAINST LANDING ON THE RUNWAY, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY RUNWAY CONDITION INFORMATION. THE PILOT CONTINUED WITH THE APPROACH, TOUCHED DOWN, AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE WHEELS DUG INTO THE SNOW, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. HE REPORTED THAT THE SNOW WAS ABOUT 8 INCHES DEEP, HE PICKED THE RUNWAY BECAUSE IT WAS INTO THE WIND, AND HE THOUGHT THE SNOW WAS HARD PACKED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's selection of an unsuitable runway for landing. The snow covered runway was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KUTZTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19530
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KUTZTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N31
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 512
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1473
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1434
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50836
NTSB Number NYC96LA045
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 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15069586
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 4 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 3481
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VINTAGE AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 311 AIRPORT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SMOKETOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17576
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) 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 1130
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N31
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 28
Runway Length 2260
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --