Seamans Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Factoryville, Pennsylvania 18419
Sunday, August 20, 1989 16:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT HAD WAITED OVER 1 HOUR FOR FUEL AND DECIDED HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO GET FROM TOWANDA, PA TO SEAMANS AIRPORT, PA, SO HE DID NOT REFUEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN A FIELD 1-1/2 TO 2 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. DURING LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH & FLIPPED OVERON ITS BACK. AN ON-SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL WAS REMAINING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE DITCH WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FACTORYVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18419
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SEAMANS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9N3
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 Not pertinent
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 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1604
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40490
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 N239
NTSB Number NYC89LA196
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 RYAN
Aircraft Model ST-3KR
Aircraft Series Identifier ST-3KR
Aircraft Serial Number 1325
Certified Max Gross Weight 1885
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 2844
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD H. GERTSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 253 LONGMEADOW RD.
Aircraft Owner City KINNELON
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07405
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 N27
Departure City TOWANDA
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 9N3
Destination City FACTORYVILLE
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --