Lancaster Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601
Thursday, April 29, 1982 18:48 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 31, THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO AN AREA WHERE HE PERFORMED INVERTED FLIGHT IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND A DIME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DROPPED IN THE COCKPIT. DURING HIS DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL, HE AND A TOWER CONTROLLER DISCUSSED AND JOKED ABOUT LOOKING FOR THE LOST DIME. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 26. WHILE ROLLING OUT, THE TOWER CONTROLLER KIDDED THE PILOT BY SAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING SILVER SKIPPING IN FRONT OF THE PLANE, THEN COMMENTED ABOUT GOOD VISION. THE PILOT RESPONDED, AND LATER, HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR THE TOWER CAUTION HIM OF EQUIPMENT ON THE TAXIWAY. THE EQUIPMENT WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY BETWEEN RUNWAYS 26 AND 31. WHILE TAXIING, THE PILOT'S FORWARD VISION WAS OBSTRUCTED BY THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE WHICH REQUIRED S-TURNS FOR CLEARING. GROUND CONTROL CLEARED THE PILOT TO CROSS RUNWAY 31, BUT INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO DELAY SINCE THERE WAS TRAFFIC. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAXI WITHOUT S-TURNS AND THE PLANES RIGHT WING HIT THE EQUIPMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1848
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LANCASTER
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17601
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport LANCASTER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 59
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1164
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3DY
NTSB Number NYC82FGT14
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 CHRISTIAN
Aircraft Model EAGLE II
Aircraft Series Identifier EAGLE II
Aircraft Serial Number Y-0001
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 34
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD D. YEARGLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2158 THOROUGHBRED LA.
Aircraft Owner City LANCASTER
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD D. YEARGLEY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2158 THOROUGHBRED LA.
Operator City LANCASTER
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17601
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City LANCASTER
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1838
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LANCASTER
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 250
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --