Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania 16603
Saturday, March 24, 1990 18:55 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND USING THE WINDS ALOFT HE CALCULATED HOW LONG THE FLIGHT WOULD TAKE TO ARRIVE AT HIS DESTINATION AND HOW MUCH FUEL WOULD BE NEEDED. HE CHECKED THE TANKS VISUALLY. THE PILOT SAID WHEN ABOUT 15 MILES OUT FROM JOHNSTOWN, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN IT QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A GRASS FIELD AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A TREE ROTATING THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT T 130 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE TANKS AND THERE WERE NO LEAKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT FACTOR IN THAT HE FAILED TO ENSURE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. THIS RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FAILURE & SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1855
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HOLLIDAYSBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16603
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
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 0
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
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) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 170
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40790
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62274
NTSB Number NYC90LA080
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model CE-172P
Aircraft Series Identifier CE-172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17275240
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VAN BORTEL AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4900 SOUTH COLLINS
Aircraft Owner City ARLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76019
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LWM
Departure City LAWRENCE
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JST
Destination City JOHNSTOWN
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --