Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Altoona, Pennsylvania 16603
Sunday, September 6, 1987 11:04 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED CLEVELAND, OH AT APPROX 0915 HOURS ON AN UNAUTHORIZED FLT TO ATLANTIC CITY, NJ. THE PLT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT OR CONDUCT THE FLT DUE TO HIS LICENSE HAVING BEEN REVOKED IN 1977 FOR REPEATEDLY VIOLATING FARS. NEAR ALTOONA, PA THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED IFR WX CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED AN INFLIGHT CONTROL SURFACE SEPARATION. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO POSTCRASH FIRE, THE PLT WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH ANY ATC FACILITY, AND THERE IS NO RECORD OF ANY WX BRIEFING OBTAINED BY THE PLT. THE PLT'S FLT TIMES WERE NOT REPORTED OR AVAILABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1104
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ALTOONA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16603
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1114 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID AOO
Elevation of weather observation facility 1504
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1875
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35244
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8692W
NTSB Number NYC87FA244
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10225
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 2 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 3596
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NELSON GARDNER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3309 DESOTA
Aircraft Owner City CLEVELAND HGHTS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44118
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN C. GIBSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12501 BRITON DR.
Operator City CLEVELAND
Operator State OH
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
Departure City CLEVELAND
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ALTOONA
Destination State PA
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --