Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamburg, Pennsylvania 19526
Friday, April 17, 1992 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 4000 FT., EN ROUTE TO READING. HE WAS ISSUED A CLEARANCE TO EXECUTE THE ILS APPROACH TO RWY 36. AT THE TIME THE PLT RECEIVED THE CLEARANCE, HE WAS AT 4000 FT. AND 3 MILES FROM THE OUTER MARKER (LOM). THE LOM IS LOCATED 3.9 FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 36 AND THE GLIDESLOPE INTERCEPT ALTITUDE WAS 1636 FEET MSL. APPROXIMATELY 7 MINUTES AFTER ACCEPTING THE APPROACH CLEARANCE, THE PLT CONTACTED ATC AND STATED HE WAS EXECUTING THE 'MISSED APPROACH.' THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1,100 FT, APPROXIMATELY 13 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. BASED ON THE LAST RECORDED GROUNDSPEED OF 174 KNOTS, THE AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY 20 NM FROM THE TIME THE PLT RECEIVED THE APPROACH CLEARANCE (6.9 NM FROM THE AIRPORT) TO THE TIME HE BEGAN TO EXECUTE THE MISSED APPROACH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION, HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER IFR PROCEDURES, AND AN IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH RISING TERRAIN DURING THE EXECUTION OF THE MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 56
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAMBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19526
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 40 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID MDT
Elevation of weather observation facility 310
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 44
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2404
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47115
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62774
NTSB Number NYC92FA079
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 277754013
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 6284
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BASCO FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 20
Aircraft Owner City POTTSTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19464
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BASCO FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR 20
Operator City POTTSTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19464
Operator Code CEHA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PHL
Departure City PHILADELPHIA
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 15
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RDG
Destination City READING
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --