Corry-Lawrence Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corry, Pennsylvania 16407
Friday, August 26, 2005 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that the airplane yawed when he added power on final approach to the runway. The wings rocked, the controls became unresponsive, and the airplane "stalled." Witnesses reported that the airplane approached the runway "low and slow," and that the wings "rocked." The right wing then dipped, the airplane "curved" to its right, and then descended from view. The pilot and a back seat passenger survived the accident, but the front seat passenger was fatally injured. Emergency workers reported that the passenger's seat belt was not fastened. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies. A review of pilot records revealed that he had accumulated 93 total hours of flight experience.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Corry
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16407
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415445N
Event Location Longitude 0793845W
Event Location Airport Corry-Lawrence Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8G2
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 1766
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1458 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 59
Weather Observation Facility ID JHW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1723
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 30.02
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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20514
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2006 8:45AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allegheny FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3946R
NTSB Number IAD05LA126
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 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17255446
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5464
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard Sorenson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Columbus
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16405
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 8G2
Departure City Corry
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 8G2
Destination City CORRY
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2006 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --