Doylestown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901
Monday, March 16, 1992 13:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 23 AT DOYLESTOWN AIRPORT, DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A TURBULENT GUST OF WIND AND THE RIGHT WING ROSE ABRUPTLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH HE INPUT FULL AILERON AND ALMOST FULL RUDDER, THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED A WIND SOCK POLE AND WIND TEE. THERE WAS NO REPORTED AIRFRAME OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO HITTING THE WIND SOCK POLE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TOUCHDOWN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DOYLESTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18901
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOYLESTOWN AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N88
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 394
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID ABE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 73
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51386
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N872RJ
NTSB Number BFO92LA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-350P
Aircraft Serial Number 4622028
Certified Max Gross Weight 4318
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 13 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 84
Airframe Hours 464
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GULL LEASING INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 146 OCEAN WAY
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32963
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAYMOND J. CAWLEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 146 OCEAN WAY
Operator City VERO BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32963
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 CHS
Departure City CHARLESTON
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
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 23
Runway Length 3004
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --