Titusville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Titusville, Pennsylvania 16354
Sunday, September 8, 2002 18:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot performed five uneventful practice landings. During the sixth landing attempt, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway and traveled though a ditch, before it came to rest. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions; nor did the pilot report any. The student pilot reported 65 hours of total flight experience, all in make and model.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Titusville
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16354
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413653N
Event Location Longitude 0794428W
Event Location Airport TITUSVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6G1
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 1600
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1835 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID FKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 13017
NTSB Notification Source Allegheny FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2003 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allegheny

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6947W
NTSB Number NYC02LA189
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-21132
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 9 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6740
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gary A. Willison
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Joyce C. Willison
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 316
Operator City Conneautville
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 16406
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 6G1
Departure City Titusville
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 6G1
Destination City Titusville
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 21 2003 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 4902
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --