West Penn Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tarentum, Pennsylvania 15084
Wednesday, May 12, 1993 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON HIS RETURN FROM A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT HE ENCOUNTERED AN UPDRAFT AND DOWNDRAFT WHILE LANDING. HE STATED THAT AS HE NEARED HIS POSITION FOR LANDING, THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION, AND AS HE WAS ABOUT TO APPLY POWER, THERE WAS AN UPDRAFT AND THE AIRPLANE ALMOST STALLED. HE REPORTED THAT HE PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN AND CONTINUED INTO THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE AND VEERING TOWARDS AN UNOCCUPIED AIRCRAFT THAT WAS PARKED 22 FEET OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ON A GRASSY AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE PARKED AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, IF THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN PARKED CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION AND PROXIMITY OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TARENTUM
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15084
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEST PENN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9G1
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 1125
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1100 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID AGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 533
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1440
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50379
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9891J
NTSB Number BFO93LA084
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 A150M
Aircraft Series Identifier A150M
Aircraft Serial Number A1500700
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 Nov 16 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AEROBAT V
Aircraft Owner Street Address 388 HOLTON RD.
Aircraft Owner City OAKMONT
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15139
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AEROBAT V
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 308 HOLTON RD.
Operator City OAKMONT
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15139
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 9G1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 9G1
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 20
Runway Length 2645
Runway Width 37
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --