Johnstown Cambria County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15945
Wednesday, November 22, 1989 23:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT THE WX WAS: 300' OVC, VIS 3 MI WITH FRZG RAIN, LGT DRZL & LGT SNOW. HE INITIATED AN ILS RWY 33 APCH & ENCTRD TURBC. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A MISSED APCH & FLEW BACK FOR A 2ND APCH. ON THE 2ND APCH, HE ENCTRD TURBC AGAIN, THEN NOTICED THE ACFT WAS LOSING SPEED. THE PLT SAID HE APPLIED FULL POWER & THAT WAS THE LAST THING HE COULD REMEMBER. THE ACFT CRASHED WHEN IT STRUCK APCH LGTS ABOUT 600' SHORT OF THE RWY. WHEN THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED THE NEXT DAY, AIRFRAME ICE WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE LEADING EDGE & LOWER SFC OF THE WINGS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. DRG A WX BRIEFING BEFORE THE FLT, THE PLT HAD BEEN GIVEN ADVISORIES FOR SNOW & LGT TO MOD RIME ICING CONDITIONS. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLT IN KNOWN ICG CONDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE ON AN ILS FINAL APPROACH, WHICH ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND BELOW THE GLIDE PATH AND COLLIDE WITH APPROACH LIGHTING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER (ICING) CONDITIONS, AND STRUCTURAL ICING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2305
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City JOHNSTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15945
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport JOHNSTOWN CAMBRIA COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JST
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 2284
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID JST
Elevation of weather observation facility 2284
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
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) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1952
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 806
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41082
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1028Q
NTSB Number NYC90LA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7780218
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ANG AIR OF N.J., INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 112 SOUTH MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City ORANGE
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07050
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name A & G AIR OF N.J., INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 112 S. MAIN STREET
Operator City ORANGE
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07050
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CDW
Departure City FAIRFIELD
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JST
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 5486
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --