Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sunbury, Pennsylvania 17801
Thursday, February 3, 1983 12:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT APRX 0928 EST, THE PLT OBTAINED A FSS WX BRIEFING BY TELEPHONE. HE WAS BRIEFED ON CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILINGS, FOG, LIGHT RAIN, DRIZZLE, SNOW & BLOWING SNOW ALONG HIS ROUTE. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT ASK ABOUT ICING CONDITIONS & THE BRIEFING DID NOT INCLUDE A FLT PRECAUTION FOR ICING NOR A SIGMET (ISSUED AT 0820 EST) WHICH FORECASTED MODERATE TO SEVERE MIXED ICING. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT MADE SEVERAL ATLITUDE CHANGES BY REQUEST. WHEN HE WAS QUERIED ABOUT A HEADING DEVIATION, HE REPLIED 'WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM.' THIS WAS THE LAST RADIO CONTACT. ATC RECEIVED NO RADIO CALLS CONCERNING ICING PROBLEMS OR AN EMERGENCY. WITNESSES NEAR THE CRASH SITE SAW THE ACFT COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT, ROTATING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, THEN IMPACT & BURN. AIRFRAME ICE UP TO 1/2 INCH THICK WAS FOUND ON/NEAR PARTS THAT WERE NOT FIRE DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/3/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1202
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SUNBURY
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17801
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 2
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1150 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID IPT
Elevation of weather observation facility 529
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2300
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 245
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20405
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12LF
NTSB Number NYC83FA060
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model 680FL P
Aircraft Series Identifier 680FL P
Aircraft Serial Number 0141610
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 7 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 5052
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAINHARDT ROBERT G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 123
Aircraft Owner City GRESHAM
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54128
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 No
Departure Airport Code TEB
Departure City TETERBORO
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1054
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLI
Destination City CLINTONVILLE
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --