Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Johnstown County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pleasantville, Pennsylvania 15522
Wednesday, August 6, 2003 7:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot attempted an ILS approach, which consisted of an inbound, 331-degree course, magnetic. The minimum glideslope crossing altitude at the initial approach fix was 4,484 feet msl. Radar data indicated the airplane tracked inbound on headings varying from 360 degrees to 270 degrees. Approximately 6.7 miles from the initial approach fix, the airplane descended from 4,600 feet to 3,400 feet, at a rate of 850 fpm. The last radar hit was recorded at 3,400 feet, approximately 4.7 miles from the initial approach fix. The airplane was located about 11 miles from the end of the runway, at an elevation of 2,461 feet, about 300 feet below the peak of a ridgeline. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical deficiencies. According to the pilot's toxicology test results, 6.51 (ug/ml, ug/g) of DESIPRAMINE was detected in his blood, and DESIPRAMINE and IMIPRAMINE were detected in his urine. The pilot's wife reported that the pilot had been taking Desipramine for approximately 10 years, to treat depression. She stated that she was a doctor and had prescribed the Desipramine to him. A review of the pilot's FAA medical file revealed he never reported taking Desipramine, and never reported any history of mental disorders. Imipramine is a prescription antidepressant, and often results in sedation and psychomotor impairment in healthy adults. Desipramine is a metabolite of imipramine and a prescription antidepressant in its own right. The levels of desipramine found in the pilot's toxicology report were more than 20 times the expected level for chronic use of a typical dose. Nonfatal overdose effects of desipramine, at amounts lower than reported on the pilot's toxicology, have resulted in seizures, coma, low blood pressure, and electrocardiographic (EKG) abnormalities.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper IFR procedure by his failure to maintain published altitudes, which resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain. A factor was his impairment due to prescription medication.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/6/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 740 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pleasantville |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 15522 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400909N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0784139W |
| Event Location Airport | Johnstown County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | JST |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 11 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 330 |
| Airport Elevation | 2284 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 727 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 330 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JST |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2284 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 400 |
| 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) | 1.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18547 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Eastern Region Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 6 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1230 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N28788 |
| NTSB Number | NYC03FA176 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Grumman |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA5B0816 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Mar 21 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 43 |
| Airframe Hours | 2242.59 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Randy Rindfleisch |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Arnold |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21012 |
| 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 | W29 |
| Departure City | Bay Bridge |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | JST |
| Destination City | Johnstown |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |