Mcginness Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia, Pennsylvania 17512
Sunday, October 28, 1990 16:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWERLINES AND A TREE, AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 29. THE PILOT REPORTED AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENDING RIGHT TURN DUE TO A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION. EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SCENE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE IMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE WINDS WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 16 TO 22 KNOTS. THE POWERLINES WERE ON WOODEN POLES 50 TO 60 FT AGL, AND APPROXIMATELY 400 TO 500 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH THE POWERLINES LEAVING THE TOP AND BOTTOM WIRES INTACT AND THE MIDDLE TWO WIRES BROKEN. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING. SHEARING THE WING OFF PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WIRE MARKS ON THE WING, HOWEVER, THERE WERE WIRE MARKS ON THE PROPELLER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH AND COMPENSATE FOR THE HEADWIND. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOGNIZE HIS LOW ALTITUDE AND EXECUTE A GO-AROUND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/28/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City COLUMBIA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17512
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MCGINNESS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8N7
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 334
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1370
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42681
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 N9292J
NTSB Number NYC91LA019
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3380
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PATRICK J. MCGINNESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 518 TRUCE ROAD
Operator City NEW PROVIDENCE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17560
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 No
Departure Airport Code LNS
Departure City LANCASTER
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1635
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 29
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --