Mid-State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania 16866
Tuesady, August 3, 2004 17:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After completing the warm-up and ground checks, the airplane departed from a 5,711-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the initial climb, about 400 feet above the ground, the engine lost partial power, and the airplane began to descend. Suspecting that carburetor icing was present, the pilot applied carburetor heat. A few seconds later, the airplane impacted the ground, coming to rest about 1/4-mile from the end of the runway. The pilot additionally stated that he had experienced a similar problem with the engine losing partial power a few flights prior to the accident; however, it was an isolated event, and he attributed it to possibly being carburetor icing. The engine was test ran by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector after the accident, with no abnormalities noted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of partial engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/2004
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Phillipsburg
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16866
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 405303N
Event Location Longitude 0780514W
Event Location Airport Mid-State Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PSB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1948
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PSB
Elevation of weather observation facility 1948
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.91
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19405
NTSB Notification Source Eastern Region Ops Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2006 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Harrisburg, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6311P
NTSB Number NYC04LA187
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-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1421
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 6000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Michael T. Brobeck
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Port Matilda
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16870
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code PSB
Departure City Phillipsburg
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 11 2006 5:01PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 5711
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --