Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
Friday, December 2, 1983 15:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT 'A STORM WAS MOVING IN.' THE PLT REPLIED HE KNEW THAT & WAS ONLY GOING UP FOR A SHORT FLT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF SNOW BEGAN TO FALL, & THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY BELOW TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE ACFT MADE SEVERAL APPROACHES, BUT ON EACH APPROACH THE ACFT WAS EITHER TOO HIGH OR MIDWAY DOWN THE RWY. PRIOR TO THE LAST ABORTED LANDING ATTEMPT, THE ACFT HAD PASSED BEYOND THE MIDPOINT OF THE RWY, STILL HIGH,WITH ABOUT 10 DEG OF FLAPS EXTENDED. DURING THIS TIME THE FALLING SNOW HAD INCREASED IN INTENSITY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ACFT CRASHED. THE WX AT THE ARPT WAS OBSERVED AS 'SNOWING HEAVILY AND POOR VISIBILITY.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/2/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HERSHEY
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17033
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
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 1448 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 63
Weather Observation Facility ID HAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2422
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22744
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6246L
NTSB Number NYC84FA046
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17255846
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 1772
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREDERICK D. HITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17 VALLEY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HUMMELSTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 58N
Departure City PALMYRA
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --