Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Goshen, New York 10924
Wednesday, December 18, 1991 15:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TRAINING MANEUVERS WHEN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE FAA REVEALED THAT A PIECE OF RUBBER SEAL FROM THE LANDING LIGHT HAD BROKEN LOOSE AND JAMMED IN THE CARBURETOR. THE SEAL HAD BEEN REPLACED BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON EMPLOYED BY THE FLIGHT SCHOOL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER RESULTING FROM THE INGESTION OF A FOREIGN OBJECT INTO THE CARBURETOR AND THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN TREES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE AIRPLANE BY UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GOSHEN
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10924
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 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 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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 Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1710
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45587
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55685
NTSB Number NYC92LA048
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7325457
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Dec 7 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 2781
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CENTURY AIR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address MORRISTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City MORRISTOWN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07960
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CENTURY AIR INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address MORRISTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City MORRISTOWN
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07960
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MMU
Departure City MORRISTOWN
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --