Pennridge Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Perkasie, Pennsylvania 18944
Friday, October 12, 2001 17:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that as he flared the airplane for landing, the sun glare caused the windshield to "turn completely white." The airplane sank "slightly faster than expected," touched down, and bounced, damaging the firewall. The pilot reported 110 hours of total flight experience, 2 hours of which were in make and model. He also reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the sun glare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/12/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Perkasie
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18944
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402321N
Event Location Longitude 0751725W
Event Location Airport Pennridge Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N70
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 568
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID NXX
Elevation of weather observation facility 362
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
Density Altitude (feet) 1512
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12250
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 10 2002 8:12AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allentown FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5385J
NTSB Number IAD02LA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17273775
Certified Max Gross Weight 2307
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 29 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 9694
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lane Valley Forge Aviation
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Collegeville
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19426
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 N10
Departure City Collegeville
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N70
Destination City Perkasie
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2002 1:41PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 4215
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --