Nelson's Run Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mercer, Pennsylvania 16137
Sunday, May 31, 1987 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 27 UPHILL WITH THE WIND AT 180 DEGREES IN UNCUT GRASS. THERE WERE TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE LOST LIFT AS HE APPROACHED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MERCER
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16137
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NELSON'S RUN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 39PN
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 1300
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
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 --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1822
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35225
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38346
NTSB Number NYC87LA157
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J-3
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3
Aircraft Serial Number 6954
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 Aug 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 224
Airframe Hours 4677
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID M PRICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1078 SUSAN LANE
Aircraft Owner City GIRARD
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44420
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID M. PRICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1078 SUSAN LANE
Operator City GIRARD
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44420
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 27
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 250
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --