Capital City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairview, Pennsylvania 17070
Saturday, June 25, 2005 12:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane lost engine power and impacted a house shortly after takeoff and was destroyed. The pilot stated that he added fuel to the wingtip fuel tanks, and oil to the engine. He performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, which included sampling fuel from the wingtip fuel tanks. No anomalies were noted during taxi or engine run-up; and the airplane departed on a 5,001-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the takeoff roll, the airplane used more runway than usual, and did not seem to have full engine power at rotation. Additionally, several witnesses at the airport and accident site recalled hearing interruptions in engine noise as the airplane descended into a mobile home community. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions; however, the carburetor, mechanical fuel pump, electric fuel pump, magnetos, and propeller governor could not be tested due to post-impact fire damage. The fuel selector was found set to the left wingtip tank, which was fueled prior to takeoff. Testing of the fueling truck did not reveal any evidence of water or contamination. Review of aircraft performance charts revealed that the airplane should have cleared a 50-foot-obstacle, and been climbing about 600 feet per minute, after an approximate 2,000-foot takeoff roll.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing after takeoff and subsequent collision with a residence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1235
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Fairview
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17070
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401255N
Event Location Longitude 0765142W
Event Location Airport Capital City Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CXY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 347
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID CXY
Elevation of weather observation facility 347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19264
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2006 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Harrsiburg, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N235G
NTSB Number NYC05FA105
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7410010
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Nov 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GT Aero Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hendersonville
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37075
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Gregory Treadway
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Hendersonville
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37075
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 CXY
Departure City Harrisburg
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1235
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BDR
Destination City Bridgeport
Destination State CT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2005 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --