Doylestown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901
Wednesday, July 12, 1989 11:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 TO 75 FT, WHEN HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS SLOWLY DROPPING. HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE ACFT WOULD CLEAR TREES BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY, SO HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, NOSEWHEEL FIRST, BETWEEN THE END OF THE RWY & THE TREES, THEN IT NOSED OVER. RPRTDLY, THE FLAPS WERE IN A FULL DOWN POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY TAKING OFF WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADEQUATE RATE OF CLIMB TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF AND HIS FAILURE IN MAINTAINING AIRSPEED, WHICH REDUCED HIS ABILITY TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT. THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DOYLESTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18901
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 DOYLESTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N88
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 394
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1497
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39842
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 N10659
NTSB Number NYC89LA161
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15074953
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GULL AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address DOYLESTOWN ARPT., OLD EASTON
Aircraft Owner City DOYLESTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GULL AVIATION,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DOYLESTOWN ARPT.,OLD EASTERN R
Operator City DOYLESTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18901
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 N88
Departure City DOYLESTOWN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N63
Destination City SUSSEX
Destination State NJ
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 5
Runway Length 3004
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --