Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shenandoah, Pennsylvania 17976
Saturday, October 10, 1992 11:33 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRPLANE IN A CLIMB TO 7800 FT, LEVEL AT 7700 FT FOR APPROX 1 MINUTE, AND THEN ENTER A DESCENT. THE RADAR DATA WAS PUT INTO A COMPUTER PROGRAM WHICH SHOWED THAT THE HIGHEST VERTICAL SPEED RECORDED WAS 19,000 FPM, WITH A TAS OF 279.9 KTS (321.9 MPH). EVIDENCE OF FLUTTER WAS FOUND ON THE ELEVATOR, WHICH SEPARATED FROM THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, AND THE WINGS HAD FAILED SYMMETRICALLY IN NEGATIVE LOADING. THE PILOT HAD BEEN TAKING VASOTEC FOR HYPERTENSION. DATA SUPPLIED FROM FLIGHT TESTING FOUND THAT IF THE AIRPLANE WAS TRIMMED FOR A CLIMB AT 112 MPH, AND THE POWER WAS NOT CHANGED, A 13 POUND FORWARD FORCE ON THE CONTROL WHEEL WOULD CAUSE THE AIRPLANE TO ACCELERATE TO 196 MPH. THE NEVER EXCEED SPEED FOR THE AIRPLANE IS 200 MPH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO PILOT INCAPACITATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1133
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SHENANDOAH
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17976
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 163
Weather Observation Facility ID RDG
Elevation of weather observation facility 344
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 854
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 10 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50016
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4308V
NTSB Number NYC93FA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 195
Aircraft Series Identifier 195
Aircraft Serial Number 7215
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 3163
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HERBERT A. SCHAFFNER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 109 LOCUS
Aircraft Owner City HARRISBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17108
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HERBERT A. SCHAFFNER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 145 PARK AVENUE
Operator City HUMMELSTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17036
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 9D4
Departure City MYERSTOWN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1110
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BGM
Destination City BINGHAMTON
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --