New Hanover Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Hanover, Pennsylvania 19452
Sunday, May 12, 1991 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 31, THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, BECAUSE OF THE CROSS WIND FROM THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE GRASS RUNWAY AND STRUCK A DITCH. THE PILOT HAD 12.6 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN THE CESSNA 185C. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 200 TO 220 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT DURING A CROSSWIND TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW HANOVER
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19452
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEW HANOVER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N62
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 280
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1014
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44848
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26792
NTSB Number NYC91LA131
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 185C
Aircraft Series Identifier 185C
Aircraft Serial Number 1850679
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 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 JOHN M. RONALTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2131 SWAMP PIKE
Aircraft Owner City GILBERTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19525
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN M. RONALTER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2131 SWAMP PIKE
Operator City GILBERTSVILLE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19525
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 1800
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 2455
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --