York-Thomaswke Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thomasville, Pennsylvania 17364
Sunday, July 16, 1989 21:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA28-236 WAS CLEARED FOR AN NDB APPROACH AND RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN BY SEVERAL WITNESSES FLYING VERY LOW, ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF THE INBOUND PUBLISHED APPROACH COURSE ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE POOR WITH LOW VISIBILITY, DUE TO FOG AND DRIZZLE. THE AIRPORT IS EQUIPPED WITH RUNWAY STROBE LIGHTS, BUT THERE WERE NO WITNESSES THAT COULD REMEMBER IF THEY WERE ON OR OFF AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WHEN LAST SEEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW PERPENDICULAR (EAST) TO THE INBOUND COURSE, IT THEN TURNED LEFT, FLYING AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FLY THE PUBLISHED APPROACH PROCEDURE, WHICH RESULTED IN CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City THOMASVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17364
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YORK-THOMASWKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID THV
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 486
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 150 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID CXY
Elevation of weather observation facility 347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1936
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41066
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2829D
NTSB Number NYC89FA166
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7911193
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 27 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 205
Airframe Hours 2703
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROTHERHOOD, R./MITZEL, K.W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 504 PHILADELPHIA ST.
Aircraft Owner City YORK
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17403
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROY BROTHERHOOD/K. MITZEL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 504 PHILADELPHIA ST
Operator City YORK
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17403
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 AGC
Departure City ALLEGHENY CITY
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 16
Runway Length 4190
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --