Williamsport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montoursville, Pennsylvania 17754
Friday, September 25, 1987 2:28 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT INITIATED THE ILS APPROACH AND ACKNOWLEDGED A FREQUENCY CHANGE. THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON A STEEP HILL ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. NO EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE OR CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. IT APPEARED THAT THE PILOT MADE A MISSED APPROACH AND FLEW INTO HIGH TERRAIN. THERE WAS A 2 1/2 HOUR DELAY BETWEEN THE TIME OF THE CRASH AND CONFIRMATION OF THE CRASH. THE PILOT WAS FOUND OUTSIDE OF THE WRECKAGE APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS LATER. AN AME SAID THE CRASH WAS SURVIVABLE AND THAT THE PILOT HAD EXITED THE AIRCRAFT ON HIS OWN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SERIOUS INJURIES, NONE OF THEM WERE LETHAL. THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED TO 46 DEGREES WITH A WIND CHILL TEMPERATURE OF 36 DEGREES DURING THE NIGHT. THE AUTOPSY SHOWED THE PILOT HAD DIED OF EXPOSURE AND SHOCK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 228
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MONTOURSVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17754
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 WILLIAMSPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IPT
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 529
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID IPT
Elevation of weather observation facility 521
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2164
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35641
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 N38364
NTSB Number NYC87FA262
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 327740083
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 2686
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PARAGON FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 884
Aircraft Owner City WHEELING
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60090
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PARAGON FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 884
Operator City WHEELING
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60090
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 PWK
Departure City WHEELING
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IPT
Destination City WILLIAMSPORT
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 6449
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --