Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Seven Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Seven Springs, Pennsylvania 15622
Sunday, August 8, 1999 15:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Shortly after takeoff in instrument meteorological conditions, the airplane impacted trees, which were located about 1/2 mile from the airport and below the runway elevation. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The pilot obtained his instrument rating about 1 year prior to the accident, and had 'very little, if any' actual flight experience in IMC. The elevation at the departure airport was 2,907 feet. A weather observation recorded at an airport which had a field elevation of 2,284 and was located about 30 miles northeast of the accident site included, visibility 1/2 statue miles with light rain and mist; Ceiling 700 broken, 1,200 broken, 1,700 overcast; Temperature 68 degrees F; Dewpoint 66 degrees F. Additionally, a witness in the area of the departure airport reported that the weather conditions were foggy with intermittent rain.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to obtain a rate of climb after takeoff due to spatial disorientation. Factors in this accident were low ceilings, fog, and the pilot's lack experience in instrument meteorological conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1510 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | SEVEN SPRINGS |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 15622 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | SEVEN SPRINGS |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7SP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 280 |
| Airport Elevation | 2907 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1502 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JST |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2284 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 29 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1475 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 8 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1940 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 10 2001 4:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3892T |
| NTSB Number | NYC99FA193 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA28R-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA28R-180 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-30221 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 20 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 121 |
| Airframe Hours | 4635 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TERRY M. EVANS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 508 BAXTER AVENUE |
| Aircraft Owner City | LOUISVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | KY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 40204 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 7SP |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1510 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LOU |
| Destination City | LOUISVILLE |
| Destination State | KY |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 10 2001 4:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 3045 |
| Runway Width | 42 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |