Mcginness Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia, Pennsylvania 17512
Friday, November 29, 1996 12:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the takeoff, when the airplane became airborne, a witness heard a horn or buzzer and the airplane returned to the runway momentarily before becoming airborne again, and then impacted terrain. The witness reported the pilot said, 'Can't keep it in the air or something like that.' She also said that the engine was running and there were no noticeable changes in sound prior to impact. A FAA inspector stated that the airplane appeared to have fallen through the trees at a steep vertical angle. Winds reported at airports 16 miles northwest, and 11 miles east of the accident site were from 280 degrees at 5 knots, and from 290 degrees at 4 knots, respectively.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and collision with trees during the initial climb. A factor in the accident was a tailwind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COLUMBIA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17512
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MCGINNESS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8N7
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 334
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 11
Weather Observation Facility ID LNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 70
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 --
Injury Total Serious 4
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1946
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 29 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1892Z
NTSB Number IAD97LA026
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 205
Aircraft Series Identifier 205
Aircraft Serial Number 2050029
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES PORTA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6671 SUNRISE LANE
Aircraft Owner City WRIGHTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17368
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 8N7
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PHILADELPHIA
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 11
Runway Length 1850
Runway Width 120
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --