Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairfield, Pennsylvania
Saturday, March 23, 1985 9:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLT, THE ACFT HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT (IFR) CONDITIONS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT ONLY THE ALTIMETER, AIRSPEED INDICATOR & MAG COMPASS WERE OPERATING. HE BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED & THE ACFT ENTERED SEVERAL DIVES & AT LEAST 1 SPIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DESCENDED BELOW THE CLOUDS IN A VALLEY WHERE THE PLT COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL REFERENCES. THE PLT THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON ROUGH/UPHILL TERRAIN WHERE THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT SAID THE SURROUNDING HILLS WERE COVERED WITH CLOUDS. ALSO, HE SAID THAT THE VACUUM PUMP, TURN & BANK INDICATOR, ATTITUDE INDICATOR & STALL WARNING SYS BECAME INOP OR MALFUNCTIONED WHILE HE WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/23/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FAIRFIELD
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 946 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1038
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 23 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28351
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97700
NTSB Number NYC85LA086
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 18267171
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 18 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 799
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. CARTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1710 MONSEY AVE.
Aircraft Owner City SCRANTON
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18509
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PENN SHADECRAFTERS,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 701-711 RACE STREET
Operator City SCRANTON
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18509
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 9N3
Departure City FACTORYVILLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 759
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GSO
Destination City GREENSBORO
Destination State NC
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --