Chester County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coatsville, Pennsylvania 19320
Thursday, August 22, 1996 21:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was in a descent from 5,000 feet to 3,000 feet when the engine lost power. He tried to switch tanks, but he was mainly concentrating on maintaining sight with a nearby airport. The airplane landed 400 yards short of the runway in trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks had been ruptured and empty, and that nearby foliage was turning brown and dying. Examination of the engine failed to reveal a reason why the engine could not develop power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the lack of suitable landing areas.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2115
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City COATSVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19320
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHESTER COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 40N
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 661
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Night/Bright
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1689
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 23 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1124
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:18AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3868W
NTSB Number NYC96LA171
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-812
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 16 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 3621
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIEMANN N. HORN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1522 MEADOWBROOK LANE
Aircraft Owner City WEST CHESTER
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19380
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code THV
Departure City YORK
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2040
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N99
Destination City WEST CHESTER
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency 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 29
Runway Length 5400
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --