Allegheny Co Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
Wednesday, October 18, 1989 22:36 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DIVERTED TO ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT TO AVOID WEATHER AND TO REFUEL. DURING A VECTOR TO FINAL APPROACH, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. FOR ABOUT 1 HR AND 10 MIN, THE PILOT TRIED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR. HE DECIDED TO MAKE A GEAR UP LANDING; HOWEVER. BEFORE REACHING THE AIRPORT, FUEL TO BOTH ENGINES WAS EXHAUSTED. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THERE WAS A HYDRAULIC LEAK ON THE NOSE GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR AND A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID. AFTER THE LEAK WAS REPAIRED AND THE SYSTEM WAS FILLED WITH HYDRAULIC FLUID, THE LANDING GEAR OPERATED WITH USE OF THE POWER PACK OR HAND PUMP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION, AND DIVERTING OF HIS ATTENTION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION TO BOTH ENGINES. DARKNESS AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2236
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PITTSBURGH
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15213
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALLEGHENY CO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AGC
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Light
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2355
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2250
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42546
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 N197
NTSB Number NYC90LA014
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model T337G
Aircraft Series Identifier T337G
Aircraft Serial Number P3370203
Certified Max Gross Weight 4700
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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 ROBERT A. HARDER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 430 CANISTEO STREET
Operator City HORNELL
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14843
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 FTY
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2122
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AGC
Destination City WEST MIFFLIN
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --