Pottstown Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464
Sunday, March 16, 1986 11:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT SHORT OF THE INTENDED RWY. A CFI WAITING ON THE TAXIWAY FOR CLEARANCE TO TAKEOFF STATED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE OK ABOUT 200 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD OF THE RWY. THEN IT APPEARED TO SLIP TO THE LEFT AND TURN 90 DEGREES TO THE RT IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE IMPACT WAS NOT OBSERVED DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF THE EMBANKMENT. THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE ACCIDENT ACFT STATED THAT WHEN HE ASKED THE STUDENT PLT FLYING THE ACFT TO ADD POWER TO DECREASE THE ACFT SINK RATE THE STUDENT CLOSED THE THROTTLE. THE CFI PUSHED THE THROTTLE FOR FULL POWER BUT TOO LATE TO OVERCOME THE SINK RATE. THE CFI THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A ROAD BY THE EMBANKMENT. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING AND THE ACFT ENDED UP AGAINST THE EMBANKMENT MINUS THE LEFT WING, LEFT MAIN LNDG GEAR AND NOSE GEAR. THE DIRECTION OF THE ROAD WAS ABOUT 90 DEGREES OFF THE RWY HEADING. THERE WERE 4 CUTS IN THE ROAD FROM THE ACFT PROP RANGING IN DEPTH FROM 1/8 TO 3/4 INCHES DEEP AND 15 INCHES WIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City POTTSTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19464
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport POTTSTOWN MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N47
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 256
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 983
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31334
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N224Y
NTSB Number NYC86FHA02
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 GULFSTREAM AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-1
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-1
Aircraft Serial Number AA1-0015
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Apr 16 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 1582
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
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 JAMES V. DAVIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 135 HILL ROAD
Operator City DOUGLASSVILLE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19518
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N46
Departure City LIMERICK
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N47
Destination City POTTSTOWN
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --