Franklin Center Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Franklin Center, Pennsylvania 19063
Sunday, June 17, 1990 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS ON BASE LEG ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT WHEN CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED. THE ENGINE SURGED AND THEN LOST POWER, AND WAS NOT RESTARTED. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND IMPACTED IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE TEMPERATURE 11 MILES AWAY WAS RECORDED AT 89 DEGREES F AND THE DEWPOINT AT 68 DEGREES F.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING A FORCED LANDING WHICH RESTULED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRANKLIN CENTER
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19063
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FRANKLIN CENTER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 96PA
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 1225
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1610 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID ERI
Elevation of weather observation facility 732
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43159
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3393A
NTSB Number NYC90LA133
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-135
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-135
Aircraft Serial Number 22-1651
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Mar 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 2000
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL J. SUROVICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3027 W. 53RD STREET
Aircraft Owner City ERIE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16505
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --