Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Nelson's Run Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mercer, Pennsylvania 16038
Tuesady, August 23, 2005 13:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was departing from runway 27, a 2,000-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, turf runway. According to the pilot, a "u-shaped" cluster of trees surrounded the east end of the runway. As the airplane accelerated it began to bounce, and when the airplane passed the cluster of trees, it was exposed to a 10 knot crosswind from the north. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, entered a corn field and nosed over. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Winds reported at an airport that was located about 17 miles northeast of the accident site, about 15 minutes prior to the accident, were from 360 degrees at 6 knots. Winds reported about 5 minutes after the accident, were calm.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in an on ground encounter with crops. A factor in this accident was the crosswind condition, as reported by the pilot.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/23/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mercer |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16038 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 411257N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801122W |
| Event Location Airport | Nelson's Run |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 39PN |
| 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 | 1305 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1335 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FKL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1540 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 17 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18838 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region Ops |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 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 | Dec 20 2005 6:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N184MH |
| NTSB Number | NYC05CA136 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Hanek |
| Aircraft Model | Pitts S1S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 24 |
| Airframe Hours | 25 |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Walter L. Riley |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Stoneboro |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 16153 |
| 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 | FKL |
| Departure City | Franklin |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 39PN |
| Destination City | Mercer |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2005 8:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SCHL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 2000 |
| Runway Width | 250 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |