York Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thomasville, Pennsylvania 17364
Friday, April 29, 1988 12:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 16 WITH LOCAL WINDS FROM 270-290 DEGS AT 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS. THE TAKEOFF WAS PERFORMED FROM AN INTERSECTION, 300 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. AFTER CLIMBING APRX 25 FEET, THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT TURN, CLIMBED TO APRX 100 FEET AGL AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. CALCULATIONS INDICATE THE ACFT WAS AT LEAST 71 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WT AT TAKEOFF. WEATHER INFO LISTED ABOVE IN THE DATA IS THE OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTED 1 NM FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING, HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF WITH HIS AIRCRAFT WEIGHT ABOVE THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT IN A HIGH UNFAVORABLE 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND, FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City THOMASVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17364
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YORK 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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID THV
Elevation of weather observation facility 486
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 19
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2449
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39454
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3014Z
NTSB Number NYC88FA131
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6965
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Aug 23 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 1604
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J. BAUMBACH & R. GUERRISI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 113 GREENWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City NEW CUMBERLAND
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17070
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 No
Departure Airport Code THV
Departure City THOMASVILLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1205
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRE
Destination City MYRTLE BEACH
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 16
Runway Length 4190
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --