Reading Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reading, Pennsylvania 19606
Wednesday, February 27, 1985 11:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT OVERTURNED WHILE AWAITING TAKEOFF FROM READING,PA. WIND WAS REPORTED FROM 310 DEGS AT 16 KTS, GUSTING TO 22 KTS. AFTER ENGINE UP THE TOWER ADVISED N66RA TP HOLD FOR LANDING TRAFFIC WHICH WAS A LEAR JET. WIND AT THIS TIME WAS GIVEN AS 310 KTS AT 27 KTS. AFTER THE LEAR JET LANDED, THE PIPER WAS CLEARED INTO POSITION AND TOLD TO HOLD. WHILE CROSSING THE HOLDING LINE A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE RIGHT WING AND TAIL AND PUSHED THE ACFT UP ONTO ITS NOSE AND RIGHT WING. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER, TURNED OFF THE ACFT AND EVACUATED. A FEW MINUTES LATER ANOTHER GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE ACFT INVERTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City READING
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19606
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport READING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ATIS
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 3700
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 29
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 646
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 28 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28242
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 N66RA
NTSB Number NYC85LA082
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-22-108
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-108
Aircraft Serial Number 22-9431
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Jan 15 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2323
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name READING ALLOYS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 53
Aircraft Owner City REBOSONIA
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19551
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) Business
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 --
Destination Airport Code LNS
Destination City LANCASTER
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --