Vansant Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erwinna, Pennsylvania 18920
Saturday, July 17, 2004 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot thought he was practicing approaches and go-arounds to runway 25, a 3,058-foot-long, 120-foot-wide, turf runway. However, he was actually making approaches to runway 7; opposite the flow of traffic. During the third approach, while the airplane was on short final for runway 7, the student pilot observed another airplane final approach for runway 25. Fearing a collision, the student pilot banked the airplane left and initiated a climb. During the maneuver, he forgot to increase throttle and partially retract the flaps. The airplane subsequently stalled, descended straight down, and impacted a grass area to the left of the runway. Review of the airplane information manual revealed that a go-around required full engine power and a flap setting of 20 degrees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and his failure to follow the go-around procedure which resulted in a stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Erwinna
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18920
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402903N
Event Location Longitude 0750559W
Event Location Airport Vansant Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9N1
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 390
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1320 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID UKT
Elevation of weather observation facility 526
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
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) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17481
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allentown, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N262MC
NTSB Number NYC04LA169
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17269549
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mercer County Community College
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Trenton
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08690
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DYL
Departure City Doylestown
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 9N1
Destination City Erwinna
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
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 --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 3058
Runway Width 120
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --