Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Numidia, Pennsylvania 17858
Tuesady, May 15, 1990 6:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF FROM AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT, ENROUTE TO AN ARPT WITH AN ILS. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING 3 WEEKS PRIOR AND THE AIRPLANE WAS INSTRUMENT EQUIPPED. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE PILOT OR A FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE TRIP. RADAR DATA SHOWED A UNIDENTIFIED CODE 1200 AND THEN A PRIMARY TARGET MOVING FIRST IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION, MANEUVERING, AND THEN HEADED BACK WEST. THE LAST TARGET WAS 7 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES ON A RIDGE LINE HEADING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION, HEADING TOWARD THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE. EYEWITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED REDUCED VISIBILITY WITH FOG ON THE MOUNTAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN VISUAL REFERENCE WITH THE GROUND IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT IN DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS IN AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NUMIDIA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17858
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
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 Witness
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) --
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1271
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1002
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42450
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8757X
NTSB Number NYC90FA107
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182D
Aircraft Series Identifier 182D
Aircraft Serial Number 18253157
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Feb 15 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1700
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK A. PAVELKO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 818 CENTER STREET
Aircraft Owner City SHAMOKIN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17872
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N79
Departure City SHAMOKIN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code H2L
Destination City HAZLETON
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --