Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meadville, Pennsylvania 16335
Thursday, March 8, 1984 14:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLTS WERE BRIEFED ON SNOWSTORM ADVANCING TOWARD DESTINATION, DEPARTED IN HOPE OF ARRIVING AHEAD OF WX. ENCOUNTING IMC CONDITIONS (SNOW) ENROUTE, PLT FILED IFR AND CONTINUED. COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCRIPT INDICATES THAT WHEN ENG BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, PLT USED CARB HEAT TO REMEDY, ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS NOT CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE. POWER WAS REGAINED. THEN LOST TOTALLY, PARTIALLY REGAINED, THEN LOST FINALLY AND TOTALLY DURING EMERGENCY DESCENT. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT DURING APPARENT LANDING ATTEMPT IN OPEN FIELD IN SNOWSTORM, RIGHT WINGTOP MADE INITIAL IMPACT WITH TERRAIN AND ACFT CARTWHEELED TO A STOP, SUSTAINING OTHER DAMAGE. COCKPIT SHOWED RIGHT-TO-LEFT OCCUPANT CONTACT WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL. ENG INDUCTION AIR FILTER WAS FOUND TO BE TOTALLY BLOCKED WITH IMPACTED SNOW. IMPACTED SNOW AND ICE FOUND BETWEEN COLLING FINS OF #1 AND #2 CYLINDERS AND CARB HEAT INTAKE, AS WELL AS AROUND STARTER, ALTERNATOR, BELTS AND OTHER ENG FWD EEXTERIOR SURFACES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/8/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1402
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MEADVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16335
Event Date Year 1984
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1405 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID FKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
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) 13
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2956
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26954
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 3:58PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N96286
NTSB Number NYC84FA104
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172Q
Aircraft Series Identifier 172Q
Aircraft Serial Number 17276051
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 65
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVE HARMON
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR3
Aircraft Owner City ANGOLA
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46703
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 5B5
Departure City BENNINGTON
Departure State VT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code YNG
Destination City YOUNGSTOWN
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --