Penns Cave Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Centre Hall, Pennsylvania 16828
Thursday, September 2, 1993 17:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WHEN ON HIS RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, ONE OF THE PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT BECAME ILL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE EXPEDITED THE APPROACH BY REDUCING THE POWER TO IDLE, AND COMMENCING A DESCENT OF ABOUT 1000 FEET PER MINUTE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN MIDFIELD AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE IN TIME TO AVOID THE EMBANKMENT (BERM) AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE EMBANKMENT AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 60 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT RESULTNG IN THE AIRPLANE EXITING THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDING WITH THE BERM. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE LOCATION OF THE BERM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CENTRE HALL
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16828
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PENNS CAVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N74
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 1260
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID N74
Elevation of weather observation facility 1260
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1925
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2406U
NTSB Number BFO93LA154
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8016024
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Aug 23 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR ATLANTIC AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD. BOX 165
Aircraft Owner City CENTER HALL
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16828
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR ATLANTIC AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RD. BOX 165
Operator City CENTRE HALL
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 16828
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1642
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 2490
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --