Grove City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grove City, Pennsylvania 16137
Tuesady, August 5, 1986 11:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) RPRTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AFTER CLIMBING OUT OF GND EFFECT, THE ACFT SEEMED TO LVL OFF & STOP CLIMBING. HE TOOK CONTROL FM THE STUDENT & PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE INSTRUMENTS, BUT NO SPECIFIC ABNORMALITY WAS DETERMINED. HE CHECKED THAT THE THROTTLE & MIXTURE WERE FULL FORWARD & APPLIED CARB HEAT TO CHECK FOR CARB ICE. THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED, SO HE MOVED THE CARB HEAT OFF & EXTENDED ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS. THE ACFT BEGAN DSCNDG & SUBSEQUENTLYIT HIT TREES & CRASH LANDED IN A SMALL 'OVERGROWN' FIELD. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAM & ENG RUN REVEALED ONE MAGNETO HAD A DEFECTIVE COIL & WAS INOP. NO OTHER PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE CFI HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 355.4 HRS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GROVE CITY
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16137
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GROVE CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 29D
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 1
Airport Elevation 1358
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1877
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32367
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 N91356
NTSB Number NYC86LA200
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 PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-82A0006
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 28 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 1167
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINGS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD 6, BOX 6420
Aircraft Owner City MERCER
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
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) Instructional
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 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 27
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --