Doersom Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
Monday, March 1, 1993 11:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING TO THE AIRPORT TO RECEIVE FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN HIS HELICOPTER THAT HAD BEEN FLOWN THERE TO RECEIVE MAINTENANCE, AND TO RETURN THE HELICOPTER PILOT BACK TO HIS HOME BASE. HE STATED UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT, HE FLEW OVER THE RUNWAY SEVERAL TIMES BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE RUNWAY CONDITION. HE STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTED THE RUNWAY CONDITION AS GOOD AND COVERED WITH HARD PACKED SNOW. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT MAIN GEAR BROKE THROUGH THE SNOW AND THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED, AND HAD BEEN PUBLISHED AS BEING CLOSED IN THE AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO LAND ON THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY THAT WAS NOT CURRENTLY MAINTAINED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE PILOT'S DECISION WAS THE INADEQUATE REPORT OF THE RUNWAY'S CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GETTYSBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17325
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOERSOM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W05
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 590
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID IPT
Elevation of weather observation facility 529
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 22000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 56
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 1 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48214
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N95747
NTSB Number BFO93LA037
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 182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier 182Q
Aircraft Serial Number 18266617
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 2690
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EICHELBERGERS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 841 W. TRINDLE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MECHANICSBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EICHELBERGERS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 841 W. TRINDLE ROAD
Operator City MECHANICSBURG
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17055
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 N94
Departure City CARLISLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 6
Runway Length 3096
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --