Black Rock Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Brighton, Pennsylvania 15066
Sunday, March 19, 2000 15:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was making an approach towards the east, to an east-west, 1,500-foot grass airstrip. The airstrip was located in an area of rolling hills and valleys. The approach was flown over a valley, with the final segment flown over an up-slope of a hill. The runway threshold was on top of that hill. On short final, the airplane encountered windshear. The pilot added full power and pitched nose-up to initiate a go-around. However, the airplane descended rapidly, hit treetops, then 'mushed' into the ground about 20 feet short of the runway. Winds, recorded about 5 nautical miles away, were from 120 degrees true, at 16, gusting to 30 knots. The seven previous hourly observations included winds at 18 to 20 knots, with six of those having gusts at or above 30 knots. The pilot had about 9,000 hours of flight time, and was a captain for a major air cargo carrier.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty wind conditions. A factor was the windshear encountered on final approach.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEW BRIGHTON
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15066
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLACK ROCK AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P234
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 1100
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID BVI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1253
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 186
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:12AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6261E
NTSB Number NYC00LA095
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 46361
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 18 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 5158
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE R. LAPIC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 718 DRUSCHEL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NEW BRIGHTON
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15066
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 P234
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 1500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --