Wings Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422
Saturday, April 16, 1983 17:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON FORECAST STRONG WINDS & A SIGMET FOR MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT MAKE A SERIES OF APPROACHES TO RWY 24. ON THE 1ST APPROACH THE ACFT WAS ALMOST OVER THE THRESHOLD AS THE BASE TURN WAS COMPLETED. THE WINGS WERE ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. WIND WAS OUT OF THE NORTH WITH THE WINDSOCK FULLY EXTENDED PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY. DURING THE GO-AROUND THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED CRABBING INTO THE WIND. DOWNWIND FOR THE 2ND APPROACH WAS EXTENDED, HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS 50-100 FT AGL AT THE THRESHOLD. A 2ND GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED 1/3 DOWN THE RWY. THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR THE 3RD APPROACH WAS EXTENDED EVEN FURTHER. THE APPROACH APPEARED TO BE SLOW. THE 3RD GO- AROUND WAS INITIATED 100-150 FT AGL NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. A SLOW CLIMBING TURN WAS MADE TO THE LEFT. AS THE ACFT BEGAN A 2ND CIRCLE THE NOSE PITCHED UP & THE ACFT STALLED. LINE PERSONNEL ESTIMATED THE WINDS AS 350 DEG AT 20 KTS GUSTING 28 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/16/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BLUE BELL
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19422
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport WINGS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N67
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 135
Airport Elevation 302
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID NXX
Elevation of weather observation facility 361
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2198
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25544
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8167K
NTSB Number NYC83FA098
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8290104
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 Feb 21 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 193
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANCIS C. GRANT, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 389 S. LAKE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PALM BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33480
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PHF
Departure City NEWPORT NEWS
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N67
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 2618
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --