Pottstown Limerick Airprt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464
Sunday, June 28, 1998 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was doing a three-point landing while on his third touch-and-go landing during the flight . The airplane had been converted to a tailwheel configuration. According to the student, he drifted to the left and added right rudder. It did not seem effective, so he applied right brake. The airplane made a hard right turn, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane spun approximately 140 degrees to the left before coming to rest.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's excessive application of the right brake, resulting in a ground loop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City POTTSTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19464
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport POTTSTOWN LIMERICK AIRPRT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTW
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 309
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 21
Weather Observation Facility ID ABE
Elevation of weather observation facility 394
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1400
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 367
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25858
NTSB Number NYC98LA137
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15280823
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Jun 16 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 4150
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEMNER EQUIPMENT MGMT CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City POTTSTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19464
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name POTTSTOWN FLIGHT SCHOOL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 414 SOUTH STREET
Operator City POTTSTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19464
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PTW
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 3371
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --