Greensburg Jeannette Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jeannette, Pennsylvania 15644
Sunday, June 15, 2003 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses observed the airplane depart to the north, and experience a partial loss of power during the takeoff climb. The airplane then began a turn to the left, and initiated what appeared to be a right base entry for a landing on runway 20. The airplane continued the turn, past 270 degrees, and as it flew beyond the end of the runway, the engine appeared to regain power and the airplane began a climb. The airplane then banked sharply and impacted trees. Examination of the engine cylinders revealed heavy black combustion deposits, on the number 3 and number 6 cylinder chambers, exhibiting signatures of operation with a foreign material. Additionally, two pieces of aluminum material were found in the combustion chamber of the number 6 cylinder. The aluminum pieces were identified to be the same material as the air filter mount frame from the airframe induction system. The number 5 top compression ring was also broken and severely worn. According to the Continental Report, "The ingestion of foreign material in cylinder combustion chambers can affect proper valve operation/timing and produce a combustion miss, thereby diminishing the engine power output."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of power caused by fragments of the air filter being ingested in the engine. A factor was the pilot's delayed decision to perform a forced landing after experiencing a partial loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/15/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Jeannette
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15644
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402247N
Event Location Longitude 0793626W
Event Location Airport Greensburg Jeannette Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5G8
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 1188
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1247 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID LBE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1185
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
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) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16151
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allegheny FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N124A
NTSB Number NYC03FA131
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 205
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 205-0429
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 4 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 3141
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Charles Bryant
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Greensburg
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15601
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 5G8
Departure City Jeannette
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1313
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 5G8
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing after takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 24 2004 4:02PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 2605
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --