Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Vansant Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Erwinna, Pennsylvania 18920
Saturday, March 18, 2000 11:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight instructor and private pilot flew the Bellanca airplane in the traffic pattern for several minutes, and were on the fourth approach to the runway at the time of the accident. The private pilot said they flew a 'squared off traffic pattern' and were approximately 50 feet above ground level (agl) on final approach when the other airplane's shadow passed over. The pilot of the Piper said he entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg, but flew a modified base leg to final for noise abatement. Witnesses described the Bellanca above and behind the Piper after both airplanes turned final. They said the Bellanca overtook the Piper as it descended below the Piper in a slip. Three witnesses said the Bellanca slowed, pitched up, and was struck from behind by the Piper. One witness said the Bellanca's approach was on the runway heading, while the Piper's approach was '...tracking inbound left of the centerline on a slight angle.' The crew turned off the Bellanca's radios after engine start, and the Piper was not equipped with a communication radio. There was no locally published procedure for flight in and around the traffic pattern nor were there any depicted 'no fly' areas for purposes of noise abatement. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual: 'When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right of way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land, or to overtake that aircraft.' Each pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with their respective airplanes.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the improper entry into the traffic pattern by the pilot of the Piper airplane and the inadequate lookout by the pilots in both airplanes. A factor in the accident was that radio communication was not possible because the Piper was not so equipped, and the Bellanca's radios were turned off.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/18/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1110 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | ERWINNA |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 18920 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | VANSANT AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 9N1 |
| 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 | 390 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 197 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DYL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 394 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2236 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11237 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 18 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1649 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2002 7:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2520Z | N7460Z |
| NTSB Number | IAD00LA027A | IAD00LA027B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bellanca | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | 8KCAB | PA-25 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 8KCAB | PA-25 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 336-77 | 25-3457 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1800 | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 9 1999 12:00AM | Oct 21 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 40 | 79 |
| Airframe Hours | 2129 | 7593 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | No |
| ELT Activated | No | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SPORT AVIATION, INC | SPORT AVIATION, INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 40 BRICK CHURCH ROAD | 40 BRICK CHURCH ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | PIPERSVILLE | PIPERSVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | ||
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 18947 | 18947 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- | -- |
| Operator Name | ||
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | ||
| Operator City | ||
| Operator State | ||
| Operator Country | ||
| Operator Zip code | ||
| Operator Code | ||
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown | 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 | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 9N1 | 9N1 |
| Departure City | ||
| Departure State | ||
| Departure Country | ||
| Departure Time | 1100 | 1040 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | ||
| Destination City | ||
| Destination State | ||
| Destination Country | ||
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2001 4:06AM | May 20 2001 4:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 7 | 7 |
| Runway Length | 3058 | 3058 |
| Runway Width | 120 | 120 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |